Proverbs 22:5

Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.
Select a Hebrew word above to see its details.

צִנִּ֣ים
צִנִּ֣ים
Root word thorns
Dictionary form: צֵן · tsane

Noun — Common, masculine plural, absolute state plural — usually add "-s"

In the KJV here: thorns
the thorns ×1 thorns ×1
More options
thorn — Most direct, widely understood rendering.
thornbush — Emphasizes the shrub rather than individual spine.
briar — Good for poetic or vivid imagery contexts.
prickle — Highlights the sharp point; more specific in tone.

BDB7130 H6791

BDB7129 | BIBLICAL HEBREW | BDB7131

[צֵן] noun [masculine] thorn? barb?; — pluralצִנִּים Prov 22:5 (+ פַּחִים); וְאֶלמִֿצִּנִּים Job 5:5 from (behind) thorns (a protecting thorn hedge, so Di), but very dubious; CheJQ July, 1897, 576 strike out as doublet of צַמִּים; BevJPhil. xxvi. 305 proposes וְאִנָם צִנִּים [and as to their wealth, barbs (? barbed spears) takeit].

thorns
ṣēn
a thorn; hence, a cactus-hedge
  • thorn, barb
    • meaning dubious

פַּ֭חִים
פַּ֭חִים
Root word snare, snares, gin, plates
Dictionary form: פַּח · pa

Noun — Common, masculine plural, absolute state plural — usually add "-s"

In the KJV here: and snares
a snare ×6 snares ×4 in the snare ×3 and the snare ×2 the snare ×2 a snare for me ×1 and snares ×1 for a gin ×1
More options
trap — Most natural modern word for a snare device.
snare — Retained from KJV but still current; slightly formal.
net — Emphasizes entanglement; good in poetic contexts.
pitfall — Highlights danger of falling in; metaphorical contexts.
thin plate — Use only when literal sheet-metal sense is in view.
lure — Stresses deceptive enticement rather than physical device.

BDB6584 H6341 H6352

BDB6583 | BIBLICAL HEBREW | BDB6585

I. פַּח noun masculinePs 124:7 bird-trap (compare WilkinsonEgyptians (1878) ii, 103, 109 f. DrAmos 3:5 HoffmZAW iii (1883), 101);

**compare also BaldenspergerPEF 1905, 38 (pahµ used now of a trap with a net). — ׳פ absolute Hos 5:1 +, פָּ֑ךְ Jer 48:44 +; construct פַּךְ Hos 9:8 +; plural פַּחִים Jer 18:22 +; —
1. literal ׳יַעֲלֶה פ Amos 3:5b (as metaphor; v:a strike out ׳פ), Prov 7:23; Eccl 9:12 (with אָחוּז; both in simile).
2. usually figurative (sometimes || מוֺקֵשׁ, רֶשֶׁת, צַמִּים):
  a. of calamities and plots, יָקוֺשׁ ׳פ Hos 9:8, compare Ps 91:3; Ps 124:7 ׳פ alone Jer 48:43 = Isa 24:17; Job 22:10; Ps 124:7; Prov 22:5 לְ ׳טָמַן פ Jer 18:22; Ps 140:6; Ps 142:4 לְ ׳נָחַן פ Ps 119:110, לְ ׳יָקַשׁ פ Ps 141:9 ׳יאֹחֵז בְּעָקֵב פ Job 18:9 ׳יִלָּכֵד בֵּפּ Jer 48:44 = Isa 24:18.
  b. = source or agent of calamity Hos 5:1; Josh 23:13 (D), Isa 8:14; Ps 69:23. — Ps 11:6 see פֶּחָם. below


BDB6586 H6341

BDB6585 | BIBLICAL HEBREW | BDB6587

II. [פַּח] noun [masculine] plate of metal; plural רִקֻּעֵי פַחִים Num 17:3 construct וַיְרַקְּעוּ אֶתפַּֿחֵי הַזָּהָב Exod 39:3.

snare, snares, gin, plates
paḥ
a spring net (as spread out like a lamina)
  • bird trap, trap, snare
    • bird trap (literally)
    • "of calamities, plots, source or agent of calamity (figuratively)
    plate (of metal)

בְּ דֶ֣רֶךְ
בְּ
Prefix — preposition in, at, by, with
דֶ֣רֶךְ
Root word way, ways, toward, journey, manner, …
Dictionary form: דֶּרֶךְ · deh-REK

Noun — Common, both singular, construct state "___ of …" — bound to the next word

In the KJV here: are in the way
the way ×102 by the way ×55 in the way ×52 way ×50 his way ×21 toward ×21 his ways ×18 the ways ×16
More options
way — Versatile default; fits literal path and figurative usage.
path — More poetic; suits moral or life-direction contexts.
road — Concrete, physical route; prefer for travel narratives.
journey — Emphasizes the act of traveling rather than the route.
manner — Best when דֶּרֶךְ means conduct, habit, or lifestyle.
direction — Use when context indicates orientation or heading.

BDB2010 H1870

BDB2009 | BIBLICAL HEBREW | BDB2011

דֶּ֫רֶךְ715 noun masculineDeut 17:16 & (less often) feminineExod 18:20 way, road, distance, journey, manner — absolute ׳ד Gen 38:16 +; דָּ֑רֶךְ vGen 38:21 +; construct דֶּרֶךְ Gen 3:24 suffix דַּרְכִּי Gen 24:42 + 4 t. + 2Sam 22:33 דַּרְכִּ֯ו; דַּרְכְּךָ Hos 10:13; 1Kgs 19:15 דַּרְכֶּ֑ךָ Ps 5:9 + 9 t.; דַּרְכֵךְ Jer 2:23 + 8 t.; דַּרְכּוֺ Gen 6:12 +; דַּרְכָּהּ 1Sam 1:18; Job 28:23 דַּרְכֵּנוּ Judg 18:5 + 2 t.; דַּרְכְּכֶם Gen 19:2 + 3 t., דַּרָכָּם 1Kgs 2:4 +; dual דְּרָכַיִם Prov 28:6; Prov 28:18 plural דְּרָכִים Deut 28:7 + 6 t.; construct דַּרְכֵי Prov 3:17 + 24 t.; suffix דְּרָכַי Job 13:15 + 17 t., דְּרָכָ֑י Ps 95:10 + 4 t.; דְּרָכֶיךָ Deut 28:29 + 16 t.; דְּרָכֶךָ Exod 33:13 + 2 t.; דְּרָכַיִךְ Jer 3:18 + 4 t.; דְּרָכָ֑יִךְ Ezek 7:3 + 3 t.; דְּרָכָיו Deut 10:12 +; דְּרָכֶיהָ Prov 3:17 + 3 t.; דְּרָכֵינוּ Lam 3:40; Zech 1:6 דַּרְכֵיכֶם Lev 26:22 + 17 t.; דַּרְכֵיהֶם Jer 16:17 + 5 t.; דַּרְכֵיהֶן Ezek 16:47

1. way, road, path Gen 35:3 (E) Gen 38:16; Gen 38:21 (both J) Gen 48:7 (P), Gen 49:17 (J; poem) Lev 26:22 (H, only here in Leviticus) Num 22:22; Num 22:23 (3 t. in verse); Num 22:31; Num 22:34 (all J E) Deut 6:7; Deut 22:4; Deut 22:6; Deut 23:5; Deut 24:9; Deut 25:17; Deut 25:18; (D) Ruth 1:7; 1Sam 4:13 (on text compare Dr) 1Sam 15:2; 1Sam 24:4; 2Sam 16:13; 1Kgs 13:9; 1Kgs 13:10 (twice in verse); 1Kgs 13:12; 1Kgs 13:17; 1Kgs 13:24 (twice in verse); 1Kgs 13:25; 1Kgs 13:26; 1Kgs 13:28; 1Kgs 18:6 (twice in verse); 1Kgs 18:7; 1Kgs 20:38; 2Kgs 2:23; 2Kgs 3:8; 2Kgs 6:19; 2Kgs 19:33 = Isa 37:29; Isa 37:34; Hos 6:9; Hos 13:7; Isa 43:16; Isa 43:19; Isa 49:9; Isa 49:11; Isa 51:10; Isa 57:14 (twice in verse); Jer 6:25; Lam 1:5; Ezek 21:24; Ezek 21:25; Ezek 42:11; Ezek 42:12; Ps 107:40; Ps 110:7; Prov 7:8; Prov 8:2; Prov 26:13; Eccl 10:3; Eccl 12:5 construct way of (often = to, toward) עֵץ הַחַיִּים ׳ד Gen 3:24 (J) שׁוּר ׳ד Gen 16:7 (J) אֶרֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּים ׳ד Exod 13:17 (E) הַבָּשָׁן ׳ד Num 21:33 (JE); compare Deut 1:2; Deut 1:19; Deut 3:1; Josh 2:7 (JE) Josh 12:3; 1Sam 6:9; 1Sam 6:12; 1Sam 13:17; 1Sam 13:18 (twice in verse); 1Sam 17:52; 2Kgs 3:20; Isa 15:5; Jer 2:18 (twice in verse); Jer 50:5; Ezek 47:15; Ezek 48:1 הַמִּדְבָּר ׳ד (of different ways) Exod 13:18 (E) Josh 8:15 (JE) Judg 20:42, compare Deut 2:8; 2Sam 2:24; 2Kgs 3:8 ׳ד אֶתהַֿמִּדְבָּר 2Sam 15:23 is corrupt; read הַזַּיִת אֲשֶׁר ׳ד בַּטִּדְבָּר ᵐ5L Dr compare We the way of the olive-tree which, etc.; הָעֲרָבָה ׳ד Deut 2:8 and (with different reference) 2Sam 4:7; 2Kgs 25:4 = Jer 52:7; Jer 39:4 הַכִּכָּר ׳ד 2Sam 18:23 יַםסֿוּף ׳ד Num 14:25; Num 21:4 (JE) Deut 1:40; Deut 2:1 often of gateway, as הַשַּׁעַר ׳ד 2Sam 15:2 compare 2Kgs 11:19; 2Kgs 25:4 = Jer 52:7; Ezek 9:2; Ezek 43:4; Ezek 44:1; Ezek 44:4; Ezek 46:9 (5 t. in verse); Ezek 47:2 ׳ד אוּלָם הַשַּׁעַר Ezek 44:3; Ezek 46:2; Ezek 46:8 בֵּית הַגָּן ׳ד 2Kgs 9:27, גַּןהַֿמֶּלֶךְ ׳ד Jer 39:4 הַיָּם ׳ד Isa 8:23 (compare Commentaries & SchumacherJaulan 63 and PEFApr. 1889, 78); מְבוֺא הַסּוּסִים ׳ד 2Kgs 11:16 followed by ָ  ה locative Gen 35:19 (E), Gen 38:14 (J) Gen 48:7 (P; read אפרתה Ol); הַמֶּלֶךְ נֵלֵךְ ׳ד Num 20:17; Num 21:22 (both J E; Arabic of different highroads, compare Seetzeni. 61, 132, ii. 336 RobBR iii. 141 Di; = מְסִלָּה Num 20:19) i.e. the highway, used by king with his army; compare || בַּדֶּרֶךְ בַּדֶּרֶךְ Deut 2:27 i.e. straight (or steadily) along the way; in particular of path, way, in which God moves בַּיָּם דַּרְכֶּ֑ךָ Ps 77:20 (|| וּשְׁבִילְיךָ֯ בְּמַיִם רַבִּים); וּבִשְׂעָרָה דַּרְכּוֺ Nah 1:3 compare בַּמִּדְבָּר פַּנּוּ ׳י ׳ד Isa 40:8 (|| יַשְּׁרוּ בָּֽעֲרָבָה מְסִלָּה לאלהינו); also Mal 3:1, compare Isa 43:16; Isa 43:19 (way made by ׳י) & Isa 51:10 path of lighting Job 28:26; Job 38:25 of light Job 38:19; Job 38:24, of camel (בִּכְרָה) Jer 2:23, of locusts Joel 2:7 (plural); see further the four wonderful things Prov 30:19 the way of an eagle in the air, the way of a serpent upon a rock, the way of a ship in the heart of the sea, and the way of a man with a maid (i.e. no trace is left in any case); compare also vProv 30:20 כֵּן דֶּרֶךְ אִשָּׁה מְנָאָ֑פֶת; figure of death אָנֹכִי הוֺלֵךְ הַיּוֺם בְּדֶרֶךְ כָּלהָֿאָרֶץ Josh 23:14 I am going to-day in the way of all the earth (D); so also 1Kgs 2:2 (compare Gen 19:31 4 a).
2. journey Gen 24:21; Gen 24:40; Gen 24:42; Gen 24:56 (all J) Num 9:10; Num 9:13 (P) Josh 9:11; Josh 9:13 (both J E) 1Kgs 18:27; 1Kgs 19:7 ׳רַב מִמְּךָ הַדּ; ׳לַעֲשׂוֺת ד Judg 17:8 בְּאֵר ׳ד שָׁ֑בַע Amos 8:14 (journey of — to — Beersheba compare Hi St; but text dubious, ᵐ5 ὁ θεός, compare Gunning; HoffmZAW 1883, 123 proposes דֹּדְךָ, We בְּאֵרְךָ compare BuThLz 1892, 62); דֶּרֶךְ חֹל 1Sam 21:6 a common (not sacred) journery; especially with temporary modification שְׁלשֶׁת יָמִים ׳ד Gen 30:36 (J) Exod 3:18; Exod 5:3; Exod 8:23; Num 10:33 (twice in verse) (all J E), Num 33:8 (P) compare also Gen 31:23 (E) Num 11:31 (twice in verse) (JE), 1Kgs 19:4; 2Kgs 3:9 go one's way הָלַךְ לְדַרְכּוֺ Gen 19:2 (J), Gen 32:2 (E), Gen 33:16 (J), Num 24:25; Josh 2:16 (both J E), Judg 18:26; Judg 19:27; 1Sam 1:18; 1Sam 26:25; 1Sam 30:2; 1Kgs 1:49; Jer 28:11, see הלך; also ׳הָפַךְ לְד 1Sam 25:12, & (figurative) ׳פָּנָה לְד Isa 53:6 (so Isa 56:11 5 below); of זוֺנָה, figurative of Israel, וַתְּפַזְּרִי אֶתדְּֿרָכַיִךְ לַזָּרִים Jer 3:13.
3. of direction, almost or quite = toward, 1Kgs 8:44; 1Kgs 8:48 = 2Chr 6:34; 2Chr 6:38 pray toward the city, etc.; 2Chr 18:43 look toward the sea; especially in Ezek. of looking, going, etc. צָפוֺנָה ׳ד Ezek 8:5 (twice in verse); compare Ezek 21:2; Ezek 40:6 construct הַקָּדִים ׳ד Ezek 40:10 (strike out ᵐ5 Hi Co) vEzek 40:22; Ezek 43:1 הַצָּפוֺן ׳ד vEzek 43:20 compare הַדָּרוֺם ׳ד vEzek 43:24 vEzek 43:24, הַיָּם ׳ד Ezek 41:12, הֶחָצֵר ׳ד Ezek 42:7 etc. (c. 28 t. Ezekiel); (see also מִדֶּרֶךְ Ezek 9:2 compare Ezek 43:2; Ezek 44:3 on אַמָּה אֶחָת ׳ד Ezek 42:4 see VB Co Da) compare לֹאיִֿפְנֶה דֶּרֶךְ כְּרָמִים Job 24:18.
4. way, manner:
  a. usage כָּלהָֿאָרֶץ ׳ד Gen 19:31 (J; compare also Josh 23:14; 1Kgs 2:2 above)
  b. = customary experience, or condition נָשִׁים ׳ד Gen 31:35 (E).
  c. מִצְרַיִם ׳ד Amos 4:10 the manner of Egypt, i.e. as was done in Egypt; Isa 10:24; Isa 10:26.
  d. habit of animals, ants Prov 6:6 (plural)
5. figurative of course of life, or action, undertakings, etc. לֹא תַצְלִיחַ אֶתדְּֿרָכֶיךָ Deut 28:29 compare Josh 1:8 (D) 1Sam 18:14; 2Sam 22:33 = Ps 18:33; Job 3:23; Job 8:19; Job 17:9; Job 22:28; Job 24:23; Job 31:4; Job 34:21; Ps 10:5; Ps 35:6; Ps 37:5; Ps 37:7; Ps 37:23; Ps 91:11; Ps 102:24; Ps 119:37; Ps 128:1; Ps 139:3; Ps 146:9; Prov 2:8; Prov 3:6; Prov 3:23; Prov 11:5; Prov 20:24; Prov 29:27; Prov 31:3; Isa 40:27; Isa 45:13; Isa 48:15; Isa 55:8; Isa 55:9; Jer 2:36; Jer 10:23; Jer 12:1; Jer 23:12; Lam 3:9; Lam 3:11; Hos 2:8; Hos 9:8; Hos 10:13; (עְנָוִים ׳ד); thrice (Chronicles) in summary of a king's life, of Abijah וּדְרָכָיו וּדְבָרָיו 2Chr 13:22 of Jotham וְכָלמִֿלְחֲמֹתָיו וּדְרָכָיו 2Chr 27:7 of Ahaz וְכָלדְּֿרָכָיו הָרִאשֹׁנִים וְהָאַחֲרוֺנִים 2Chr 28:26 אֹרְחֹתֶיךָ ׳ד Isa 3:12 compare also Isa 30:11 and Isa 57:18 = gain Isa 56:11, pleasure, etc. Isa 58:13.
6. a. of moral action and character הִשְׁחִית כָּלבָּֿשָׂר אֶתדַּֿרְכּוֺ עַלהָֿאָרֶץ Gen 6:12 (P); compare Jer 3:21 יִשְׁמְרוּ אֶתדַּֿרְכָּם 1Kgs 2:4; 1Kgs 8:25 = 2Chr 6:16 compare v2Chr 6:39 = 2Chr 6:30 ׳הֵכִין דְּרָכָיו לִפְנֵי י 2Chr 27:6; Ps 5:9; Ps 39:2; Ps 49:14; Ps 50:23; Ps 119:5; Ps 119:26; Ps 119:59; Ps 119:168; Prov 4:26; Prov 5:8; Prov 5:21; Prov 10:9; Prov 14:2; Prov 14:8; Prov 14:12; Prov 16:2; Prov 16:7; Prov 16:9; Prov 16:17; Prov 16:25; Prov 19:3; Prov 19:16; Prov 21:2; Prov 21:29; Jer 2:33; Jer 6:27; Jer 7:3; Jer 7:5; Jer 16:17; Jer 17:10; Jer 18:11; Jer 18:15; Jer 26:13; Jer 32:19 (twice in verse); Lam 3:40; Ezek 7:3; Ezek 7:8; Ezek 7:9; Ezek 7:27; Ezek 14:22; Ezek 14:23; Ezek 18:25; Ezek 18:29; Ezek 18:30; Ezek 24:14; Ezek 28:15; Ezek 33:17; Ezek 33:20; Ezek 36:19; Hag 1:5; Hag 1:7; Zech 1:6 דַּרְכֵי לִבְּךָ Eccl 11:9 compare Isa 57:17 (& Jer 32:39
  c. below)
  b. of duty (commanded by ׳י, etc.) יֵלְכוּ בָּהּ ׳הַדּ Exod 18:20 (E) compare Exod 32:8 (JE) Deut 9:12; Deut 9:16; Deut 13:6; Deut 31:29; Ps 25:8; Ps 25:12; Ps 32:8; Ps 119:1; Ps 143:8; Prov 21:16; Prov 22:6; Prov 23:19; Isa 30:21; Isa 48:17; Jer 7:23; Mal 2:8 so too, of wisdom דְּרָכֶיהָ דַרְכֵינֹֿעַם Prov 3:17, חָכְמָה ׳ד Prov 4:11; Prov 8:32 compare Prov 23:26 בִּינָה ׳ד Prov 9:6 compare Isa 40:14.
  c. specifically: in good sense הַטּוֺבָה וְהַיְשָׁרָה ׳ד 1Sam 12:23; 1Kgs 8:36 = 2Chr 6:27 compare Prov 16:31; Jer 6:16 תֹּם דְּרָכֶיךָ Job 4:6 compare Job 22:8; Prov 13:6 דְּרָכָיו (i.e. of light) Job 24:13 (|| נְתִיבֹתָיו); צַדִּיקִים ׳ד Ps 1:6, טוֺבִים ׳ד Prov 2:20, יִשְׁרֵידָֿ֑רֶךְ Ps 37:14, תְּמִימֵי דָ֑רֶךְ Prov 11:20; Ps 119:1 תָּמִים ׳ד Ps 101:2; Ps 101:6, אֱמוּנָה ׳ד Ps 119:30, שָׁלוֺם ׳דּ Isa 59:8 עוֺלָּם ׳ד Ps 139:24, חַיִּים ׳ד Prov 6:23, compare Prov 12:28; Jer 21:8 (opposed to המות ׳ד see below); without modifier 1Sam 8:3; 1Sam 8:5; Job 13:15; Job 23:10, ׳לֵב אֶחָד וְד אֶחָד Jer 32:39 compare also
  a. above; especially construct before names of good kings 1Kgs 22:43; 2Kgs 22:2; 2Chr 11:17; 2Chr 20:32; 2Chr 21:12 (twice in verse) (plural) so 2Chr 34:2 compare דַּרְכֵי דָּוִיד הָרִאשֹׁנִים 2Chr 17:3 the first ways of David; also דַּרְכֵי עַמִּי Jer 12:16.
  d. oftener in bad sense דַּרְכָּם הַקָּשָׁה Judg 2:19, דַּרְכּוֺ הָרָעָה 1Kgs 13:33, רַע ׳ד Prov 2:12; Prov 8:13; Prov 28:10 compare 2Kgs 17:13; 2Chr 7:14; Jer 18:11; Jer 23:22; Jer 25:5; Jer 26:3; Jer 35:15; Jer 36:2; Jer 36:7; Ezek 3:18; Ezek 3:19; Ezek 13:22; Ezek 20:44; Ezek 33:11; Jonah 3:8; Jonah 3:10; Zech 1:4 לֹא טוֺב ׳ד Ps 36:5; Prov 16:29; Isa 65:2 דַּרְכֵךְ זִמָּה Ezek 16:27 compare with completed metaphor לֹא סְלוּלָה ׳ד Jer 18:15 further שֶׁקֶר ׳ד Ps 119:29, עֹצֶב ׳ד Ps 139:24, פִּשְׁעָם ׳ד Ps 107:17 דַּרְכֵיחֿשֶׁךְ Prov 2:13 דַּרְכֵי מָוֶת Prov 14:12 = Prov 16:25 דרך המות Jer 21:8, compare above c; עָצֵל ׳ד Prov 15:19 (compare Prov 6:6); חַטָּאִים ׳ד Ps 1:1 compare vPs 1:6; Prov 1:15; Prov 3:31; Prov 4:19 (רְשָׁעִים ׳ד), Prov 12:15 (אֱוִיל ׳ד), Prov 13:15 (בֹּגְדִים ׳ד), also Prov 15:9; Prov 21:8; Isa 55:7 עִקֵּשׁ ׳ד Prov 22:5, compare עִקֵּשׁ דְּרָכַיִם Prov 28:6 compare vProv 28:18 further, without modifier, Hos 4:9; Hos 12:3; Prov 7:25; Prov 14:14; Isa 53:6; Isa 66:3; Jer 2:23 (of idolatry רְאִי דַרְכֵךְ בַּגַּיְא) vJer 2:33; Jer 4:11 (compare Hi Gf) vJer 4:18; Jer 15:7; Jer 22:1; Ezek 16:47 (twice in verse); Ezek 16:61; Ezek 18:23; Ezek 20:43; Ezek 23:13; Ezek 23:31; Ezek 33:8; Ezek 33:9 (twice in verse); Ezek 33:11; Ezek 36:17 (twice in verse); Ezek 36:31.Ezek 36:32 compare also below
  a. above; לָתֵת דַּרְכּוֺ בְּראֹשׁוֺ 1Kgs 8:32 to place his way upon his head, i.e. requite it on him = 2Chr 6:23, compare Ezek 7:4; Ezek 9:10; Ezek 11:21; Ezek 16:43; Ezek 22:31 פְּרִי דַּרְכָּם Prov 1:31 especially construct before names of bad kings יָרָבְעָם ׳ד 1Kgs 15:34 (compare v1Kgs 15:26) 1Kgs 16:2; 1Kgs 16:19; 1Kgs 16:26; 1Kgs 22:53 compare v1Kgs 22:53 v1Kgs 22:53 also מַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל ׳ד 2Kgs 8:18; 2Kgs 16:3; 2Chr 21:6; 2Chr 21:13; 2Chr 28:2 (plural); דַּרְכֵי בֵּית אַחְאָב 2Kgs 8:27 = 2Chr 22:3 (of Ahaziah, grandson of Ahab); הָעָם הַזֶּה ׳ד Isa 8:11, הַגּוֺיִם ׳ד Jer 10:2, ׳ד אֲבוֺתֵיכֶם Ezek 20:30 compare 2Kgs 21:21.
  e. way of ׳י:
   (a) = his creative activity Job 26:14 applied in concrete sense to behemoth (hippopotamus) הוּא רֵאשִׁית דַּרְכֵיאֵֿל Job 40:19 (hyperb.); compare of wisdom רֵאשִׁית דַּרְכּוֺ Prov 8:22
   (b) = his moral administration, Exod 33:13 (plural; J E); Deut 32:4; 2Sam 22:31 = Ps 18:31; Job 21:31; Job 36:23 אלהים בַּקֹּדֶשׁ דַּרְכֶּ֑ךָ Ps 77:14 (|| מִי אֵל גָּדוֺל כֵּאלֹהִים); Ps 85:14; Ps 103:7; Ps 138:5; Ps 145:17; Prov 10:29; Isa 55:8; Isa 55:9; Jer 5:4; Jer 5:5; Ezek 18:25 (twice in verse); Ezek 18:29 (twice in verse); Ezek 33:17; Ezek 33:20; Hos 14:10.
   (c) = his commandments לַעֲשׂוֺת צְדָקָה ׳י ׳וְשָֽׁמְרוּ ד וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט Gen 18:19 (J); ׳כָּלהַֿדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה י Deut 5:30 compare (plural) Deut 8:6; Deut 10:12; Deut 11:22; Deut 11:28; Deut 19:9; Deut 26:17; Deut 28:9; Deut 30:16; Josh 22:5 (D) Judg 2:22; 2Sam 22:22 = Ps 18:22, 1Kgs 2:3; 1Kgs 3:14; 1Kgs 8:58; 1Kgs 11:33; 1Kgs 11:38; 2Kgs 21:22; 2Chr 6:31; Job 21:14; Job 23:11; Job 34:27; Ps 25:4; Ps 25:9; Ps 27:11; Ps 37:34; Ps 51:15; Ps 67:3; Ps 81:14; Ps 86:11; Ps 95:10; Ps 119:3; Isa 2:3 = Mic 4:2; Isa 42:24; Isa 58:2; Isa 63:17; Isa 64:4; Zech 3:7; Mal 2:9 compare ׳וַיִּגְבַּהּ לִבּוֺ בְּדַרְכֵי י 2Chr 17:6 see also עֵדְוֺתֶיךָ ׳ד Ps 119:14 פִּקּוּדֶיךָ ׳ד vPs 119:27, מִצְוֺתֶ֑יךָ ׳ד vPs 119:32, חֻקֶּיךָ ׳ד vPs 119:33.


BDB8615 H7843 H6013 H7743 H7845 H1870 H516

BDB8614 | BIBLICAL HEBREW | BDB8616

[שָׁחַת]151 verb go to ruin (?), only derived species (Late Hebrew Hiph`il = Biblical Hebrew, Ecclus. שחיתה Eccl 30:11 corrupt act; Arabic extirpate; Ethiopic injure, violate; Tel Amarna ša—âtu is fall (especially of city), be prostrate (? of land), perhaps Canaanism (see WklTelAm. Vocab.), Assyrian possibly šêtu, flee, escape (compare אבד); Old Aramaic (Zinjirli) שחת destroy Lzb374, Aramaic שְׁחַת, (assimilation of ), multilate; — very improbable Gerber179 denominative from שַׁחַת); —

Niph`al be marred, spoiled, Perfect 3 masculine singular נִשְׁחַת, of waistcloth Jer 13:7, vessel Jer 18:4 be injured, or even (hyperb.) ruined, Imperfect 3 feminine singular תִּשָּׁחֵת Exod 8:20 (J) of land (מִפְנֵי הֶעָרֹב); be corrupted, corrupt, in mnorals and rel., of earth, Perfect 3 feminine singular נִשְׁחָ֑תָה Gen 6:12 (P), Imperfect 3 feminine singular ׳לִפְנֵי הָא ׳וַתִּשּׁ vGen 6:11 (P); so Participle feminine plural as adjective נִשְׁחָתוֺת Ezek 20:44. Pi`el Perfect 3 masculine singular שִׁחֵת Exod 32:7 +, suffix שִׁחֶתְךָ Hos 13:9 2 masculine singular שִׁחַתָּ Isa 14:20 +, etc.; Imperative masculine plural שַׁחֵ֑תוּ Jer 5:10 Infinitive construct שַׁחֵת Gen 13:10 +, etc.; —
1. spoil, ruin, accusative of eye Exod 21:26 (E), vineyard Jer 12:10 (figurative), branches Nah 2:3 (figurative), also = destroy, accusative of person 2Sam 1:14; 2Sam 14:11 (accusative omitted), Ezek 5:16; Ezek 20:17, כָּלבָֿשָׂר Gen 6:17; Gen 9:15 (P), city, fortress, etc., Gen 13:10; Gen 19:13; Gen 19:29 (all J), 2Sam 24:16; Jer 5:10 (accusative omitted), Jer 48:18; Ezek 26:4; Ezek 43:3; Lam 2:5, ruin temple vLam 2:6, nation Hos 11:9; Hos 13:9 (read perhaps שִׁחַתִּךָ Oort Now), land 2Kgs 19:12 (Hiph`il in || Isa 37:12), Judg 6:5; Josh 22:33 (P), Ezek 22:30; Ezek 30:11, earth Gen 9:11 (P); with ל object (ל 3b), city 1Sam 23:10, person Num 32:15 (P); with accusative רַחֲמָיו Amos 1:11, destroyed (stifled) his compassion (or, RSK 28 and others, the bonds of kinship, see רַחֲמִים), בְּרִית Mal 2:8, i.e. violate it, see especially אַרְצָה ׳וְשׁ (that is, semen) Gen 38:9 (J) he spoiled (it) upon the ground, made it ineffective, = waste words Prov 23:8.
2. pervert, corrupt, accusative wisdom Ezek 28:17, absolute = deal corruptly, הֶעֱמִיקוּ שִׁחֵתוּ Hos 9:9 (compare [עָמֹק], p.770:b; but We Now read שַׁחְתּוֺ, √ שׁוח), Exod 32:7 (JE), Deut 9:12, so לוֺ ׳שׁ Deut 32:5. Hiph`il103 Perfect 3 masculine singular הִשְׁחִית Gen 6:12 +; 1 singular וְהִשְׁחַתִּ֫י Jer 51:20, etc.; Imperfect 3 masculine singular יַשְׁחִית Dan 8:24 +, יַשְׁחִת Mal 3:11 +, וַיַּשְׁחֵת 1Chr 20:1 2 feminine singular וַתַּשְׁחִתִי Ezek 16:47, 2 masculine plural תַּשְׁחִתוּן Deut 4:16; Deut 31:29 Imperative masculine singular suffix הַשְׁחִיתָהּ 2Kgs 18:25 = Isa 36:10 Infinitive absolute הַשְׁחֵת Deut 31:29 construct הַשְׁחִית 1Sam 26:15 +, etc.; Participle מַשְׁחִית Gen 19:14 +, etc.; —
1. spoil, ruin, accusative crop Judg 6:4; Mal 3:11, trees Deut 20:19; Deut 20:20; Jer 11:19 (figurative), vessels 2Chr 36:19, houses 2Chr 34:11, palaces Jer 6:5 compare Isa 65:8; Lev 19:27 (H), Ruth 4:6 דַּיָּם ׳הִשׁ Jer 49:9 thieves damage as much as they want; accusative of person = ruin, destroy, 1Sam 26:9; 1Sam 26:15; Judg 20:21; Judg 20:25 (+ אַ֫רְצָה), vJudg 20:35 vJudg 20:42; 2Kgs 13:23; 2Chr 24:23 (+ מִן separ.), + 12 t., + (accusative of person omitted) Isa 51:13 + 4 t., accusative בֵּית דָּוִד 2Chr 21:7, absolute Isa 11:9 = Isa 65:25 also ruin one (by words) Prov 11:9 accusative עַם 2Sam 24:16; Deut 9:26 land 1Sam 6:5; Jer 36:29; Dan 11:17 (see Dr); city wall 2Sam 20:15 (Ew Th here denominative from שַׁחַת they were making a pit; < ᵐ5 We (?) Klo Dr Bu HPS Now מְחַשְּׁבִים were devising), Lam 2:8, cities and nations Gen 18:28 (twice in verse) (J, accusative omitted), Gen 19:13; Gen 19:14 (J), Isa 37:12 (Pi`el in || 2Kgs 19:12), 2Kgs 36:10 (twice in verse) = 2Kgs 18:25 (twice in verse) + 11 t. + (Israel personified) Deut 4:31; Deut 10:10; 2Kgs 8:19, pride of Judah Jer 13:9, earth Jer 51:1 absolute with adverb accusative Dan 8:24 (see Dr; Bev conjecture יְשׂחֵחַ or יָשִׂיחַ utter monstrous things), compare 1Chr 21:12 Participle as adjective, of lion Jer 2:30, angel 1Chr 21:15 = destroyer Exod 12:23 (J), Jer 22:7; Isa 54:16, גּוֺיִם ׳מ Jer 4:7, ׳רוּחַ מ Jer 51:1 singular collective (׳הַמּ Ges«GKC:126l»§ 126l; the destroying band, compare Dr Bu Now) 1Sam 13:17; 1Sam 14:15 (spoilers, ravagers); figurative for snare, trap, Jer 5:26.
2. pervert, corrupt, morally, accusative דֶּרֶךְ Gen 6:12 (P; see דֶּרֶךְ 6), נַפְשׁוֺ Prov 6:32, compare Zeph 3:7; Ezek 23:11 (מִן compare); ׳הִשׁ הִתְעִיבוּ עֲלִילָה Ps 14:1 = Ps 53:2 ׳הַשְׁחֵת תַּשְׁח (+ verb of particular act) Deut 4:16; Deut 31:29 declar. = act corruptly, Isa 1:4; Deut 4:28 (+ verb of act), 2Chr 27:2, + מִן compare Judg 2:19; Ezek 16:47 Participle as substantive Jer 6:28, ׳אִישׁ מַשׁ Prov 28:24 (Prov 18:9 see infra). — אַלתַּֿשְׁחֵת destroy not (catchword of old song or melody ?) in Psalm-titles: Prov 57:1; Prov 58:1; Prov 59:1; Prov 75:1. Hoph`al Participle מָשְׁחָת spoiled, ruined, of a spring, מָקוֺר Prov 25:26 (|| מַעְיָן נִרְפָּשׂ); as substantive Mal 1:14 sacrificing a spoiled thing.

way, ways, toward, journey, manner, …
derek
a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb
  • way, road, distance, journey, manner
    • road, way, path
    • "journey"direction"manner, habit, way"of course of life (figuratively)"of moral character (figuratively)

עִקֵּ֑שׁ
עִקֵּ֑שׁ
Root word froward, perverse, crooked
Dictionary form: עִקֵּשׁ · ik-KAYSH

Adjective — masculine singular, absolute state

In the KJV here: of the froward
than he that is perverse ×2 the froward ×2 a froward ×1 are crooked ×1 he that hath a froward ×1 of the froward ×1 or perverse in them ×1 they are a perverse ×1
More options
crooked — Vivid moral metaphor; works well in poetic or wisdom literature.
perverse — Strong moral condemnation; fits legal or prophetic contexts.
twisted — Natural modern idiom for moral distortion or corruption.
corrupt — Emphasizes moral or ethical degradation; broader register.
devious — Highlights deliberate deceitfulness or cunning wrongdoing.
warped — Informal tone; suits contemporary narrative or speech.

BDB6339 H6141

BDB6338 | BIBLICAL HEBREW | BDB6340

I. עִקֵּשׁ adjective twisted, perverted; — absolute וּפְתַלְתֹּל ׳דּוֺר ע Deut 32:5 a generation twisted and crooked, ׳לֵבָב ע Ps 101:4 as masculine noun (of one devious in life) the perverted 2Sam 22:27 = Ps 18:27; Prov 22:5, of things Prov 8:8 construct דְּרָכַיִם ׳ע Prov 28:6, שְׂפָתָיו ׳ע Prov 19:1, עִקֶּשׁלֵֿב Prov 17:20 plural אָרְחֹתֵיהֶם עִקְּשִׁים Prov 2:15 whose ways are twisted; construct עִקְּשֵׁילֵֿב Prov 11:20.

froward, perverse, crooked
ʿiqqēš
distorted; hence, false
  • twisted, distorted, crooked, perverse, perverted

שׁוֹמֵ֥ר
שׁוֹמֵ֥ר
Root word keep, kept, observe, heed, keepeth, …
Dictionary form: שָׁמַר · shaw-MAHR

Verb — Qal, Participle Active, masculine singular, construct state simple action — "he did" ongoing action — try "___ing" or "one who ___s"

In the KJV here: he that doth keep
keep ×28 kept ×24 and keep ×23 to keep ×23 take heed ×16 and to keep ×7 observe ×7 ye shall keep ×6
More options
keep — Most versatile rendering; suits commands and ongoing obligations.
observe — Best for law/covenant contexts: observe the sabbath.
guard — Physical or protective watching over something or someone.
watch over — Caring, attentive oversight; warm, pastoral register.
heed — Prefer when the nuance is careful attention or warning.
preserve — Suits divine protection contexts: God preserves his people.

BDB8848 H8104

BDB8847 | BIBLICAL HEBREW | BDB8849

I. שָׁמַר465 verb keep, watch, preserve (Late Hebrew id.; Phoenician שמר in proper name and (Punic) = watchman; Tel Amarna šimiru is perhaps overseer (Canaanism), WklNo. 80, i. 23; Mandean סמירא preserved M 46; compare Arabic converse by night, stay awake (see LagBN 105); BaNB 175 f.; ES 43 infers from eyelid (compare [שְׁמֻרָה] below), and Arabic support, aid, protect (l = r), that two √ √ are combined in Hebrew; but proof insufficient); —

Qal425 Perfect 3 masculine singular ׳שׁ Gen 37:11 +, etc.; Imperfect 3 masculine singular יִשְׁמֹר 1Sam 2:9 +, יִשְׁמָרֿ Jer 5:24 +, suffix 3 masculine singular יִשְׁמְרֶנּוּ Exod 21:29; Exod 21:36 3 feminine singular suffix תִּשְׁמוּרֵ֑ם Prov 14:3 (read תִּשְׁמְרוּם, see Ges«GKC:47g»§ 47g Toy), etc.; Imperative masculine singular שְׁמֹר Job 2:6 +, שָׁמְרָה 1Chr 29:18 +; masculine plural שִׁמְרוּ Josh 6:18 +, etc.; Infinitive absolute שָׁמוֺר Deut 5:12 +; construct שְׁמֹר Gen 3:24 +, suffix שָׁמְרָהּ Gen 2:15, etc.; Participle active שֹׁמֵר 1Sam 1:12 +, etc.; passive שָׁמוּר Eccl 5:12 (1Sam 9:24 see below), etc.; — [Synon. I. נָצַר, נָטַר, q. v.]:
1. a. keep, have charge of, garden Gen 2:15 (J), ark 1Sam 7:1, property in trust Exod 22:6; Exod 22:9 (E), compare 1Sam 25:31 tend flock Gen 30:31 (E), compare Zech 3:7; Num 3:8 (P); so perhaps (object omitted) Hos 12:13 (where ׳שׁ chosen for parallelism Now Marti and others); Participle הֲשֹׁמֵר אָחִי אָנֹ֑כִי Gen 4:9 (J), ׳שׁ of sheep 1Sam 17:20, הַכֵּלִים ׳שׁ v1Sam 17:22, הַכְּגָדִים ׳שׁ 2Kgs 22:14; 2Chr 34:22, הַנָּשִׁים ׳שׁ Esth 2:3; Esth 2:8; Esth 2:15, compare vEsth 2:14, etc.
  b. keep, guard, captives Josh 10:18 (J), 1Kgs 20:39, דֶּרֶךְ Gen 3:24 (J); keep watch and ward, אֶל person for whom 1Sam 26:15 (Ps 59:10 see 3 end), עַל person vPs 59:16; Prov 6:22 בַּנַּעַר 2Sam 18:12 have a care of (read לִי for מִי ᵐ5 and modern); in hostile sense, אֶל הָעִיר (in siege) 2Sam 11:16, חַטָאתִי עַל Job 14:16 (but read תַּעֲבֹר with ᵐ5 Ew Di Du and others [not Hi Bu]); absolute with מֵעַל Eccl 5:7 watcheth above, etc.; keep one's mouth, be prudent of speech Prov 21:33, compare Mic 7:5 keep = protect, save, one's life, נֶפֶשׁ Prov 13:3; Prov 16:17; Prov 19:16; Prov 22:5, another's Job 2:6 in Proverbs, accusative of person, subject wisdom, Job 4:6 she shall preserve thee, compare (+ מִן of evil) Job 6:24; Job 7:5 especially Participle watch, watchman, of city Isa 21:11 (twice in verse); Isa 21:12; Isa 62:5 (figurative), Song 3:3; Song 5:7 (twice in verse); Ps 127:1 הַמֶּלֶף ׳שׁ (in temple) Jer 35:4 + (see סַף), פֶּית הַמֶּלֶךְ ׳הַפּ 1Kgs 14:27 = 2Chr 12:10, הַשְּׁעָרִים ׳שׁ Neh 13:22, שֹׁמְרֵי הַבַּיִת (figurative) Eccl 12:3 ׳שׁ הַבַּיִתךֵסעוֺה ךֵהת פךֵךֵכ (of David's concubines) 2Sam 15:16; 2Sam 16:21; 2Sam 20:3 שֹׁמֵר הַכֵּלִים 1Sam 17:22, הַבְּגָדִים ׳שׁ 2Kgs 22:14, חַפַּרְדֵּס ׳שׁ Neh 2:8, הַנָּשִׁים ׳שׁ Esth 2:3; Esth 2:14; Esth 2:15, שֹׁמְרִים absolute Judg 7:19; Jer 51:12.
  c. hence watch for, wait for, accusative of person 1Sam 19:11 (to kill him), compare Ps 59:1 (title; accusative הַבַּיִת); with יֲקֵכַי Ps 56:7 = dog my steps, Ps 71:10; Jer 20:10 = watch (suspiciously) Job 10:14; Job 13:27; Job 33:11 absolute הַשֹּׁעמרִים Judg 1:24 wait for, נֶשֶׁף Job 24:15, לַבֹּקֶר Ps 130:6 (twice in verse).
  d. watch, observe, accusative of thing 1Sam 1:12; Eccl 11:4; Job 39:1; Jer 8:7 (of birds), with intelligence Isa 42:20; Ps 107:43 accusative of person Ps 37:37 (|| ראה), Zech 11:11 accusative of sin Ps 31:7; Ps 130:3 accusative of thing, for the purpose of avoiding, Ps 17:4.
2. a. keep, retain, of storing up (food) Gen 41:35 (E); absolute Eccl 3:6 (opposed to הִשְׁלִיךְ); treasure up (in memory) Gen 37:11 (E), compare Mal 2:7; 1Chr 29:18; Prov 4:21 (בְּתוֺךְ לְבָבֶ֑ךְ), Prov 22:18 (כְּבִטֱנ֑ךָ); retain wrath Amos 1:11 (read שָׁמֶר לָנֶצַח We Now GASm Marti; see also נָטַר 1) + (anger omitted) Jer 3:5 (|| נטר).
  b. keep within bounds, restrain, object שׁוֺר Exod 21:29; Exod 21:36 (E); with accusative hand, מִן of evil Isa 56:2 figurative keep thy foot, with temporal clause Eccl 4:17 לְֿפִי מַחְסוֺם׳אֶשׁ Ps 39:2 (ᵐ5 Du and others אָשִׁימָה); apparently reflexive (= Niph`al), Josh 6:18 (+ מִןהַֿחֵרֶס), possibly sc. גַפְשְׁכֶם Di.
3. a. observe, celebrate, accusative of festival, etc., Exod 23:15 (E), Exod 34:18 (J), Exod 12:17 of day vExod 12:17 (P), of month Deut 16:1.
  b. keep Sabbath Deut 5:12; Lev 19:3; Lev 19:30; Lev 26:2 (all H), Exod 31:13; Exod 31:14; Exod 31:16 (P), Isa 56:4, also (+ מֵחַלְּלוֺ) vIsa 56:2 vIsa 56:6.
  c. of other obligations: keep convenant Ezek 17:14, especially convenant of ׳י Deut 29:8; 1Kgs 11:11 + 5 t., ׳שְׁבֻעַת י 1Kgs 2:43, perform vow Deut 23:24 keep commands Jer 35:18; Ezek 20:18 especially מִצָוֺת, תֻקִּים, יֲבֹדָה, etc., of ׳י (sometimes || נצר), Exod 20:6 = Deut 5:10; Amos 2:4; 1Kgs 2:3; Ps 119:8; Ps 119:17; Ps 119:34 + very often (c. 120 t.); ׳דֶּרֶח י ׳שׁ Gen 18:19 (J) + 4 t., ׳דַּרְכֵי י 2Sam 22:22 = Ps 18:22, ׳י ׳ד omitted Judg 2:22 b; אָרְחוֺת צַדַּיקִים ׳שׁ Prov 2:20 (|| תֵּלֵח תְּלֵח בְּדֶרֶח טוֺבֹים), ׳שׁ דְּרָכַי (ways of wisdom) Prov 8:32 (Ps 17:4 see 1 d); keep discharge an office, כְּהֻנָּה Num 3:10; Num 18:7 (both P), absolute 2Chr 5:11 a function or duty, especially מִשְׁמֶרֶת ׳שׁ Lev 8:35; Num 1:53 + approximately 32 t. (see ׳מ below); accusative of obligation often omitted, especially D (and RD) keep and do Deut 4:6; Deut 7:12 + 8 t.; to do Deut 5:1; Deut 5:29 + 16 t. D + 3 t., etc.
  d. observe = follow dictates of (prudence, justice, kindness, wisdom) Hos 12:7 (חֶסֶד וּמִשְׁפָּט), Isa 56:1; Prov 4:4; Prov 5:2; Prov 7:1; Prov 7:2 bad sense, observe vanities Ps 31:7. — Doubtful are: לִשְׁמֹר absolute Hos 4:10, very strange (conjectures in We Now Marti); שָׁמוּר 1Sam 9:24, HPS אֵחַרְנוּ, compare Now BuComm.; Ps 59:10 read עֻוִּי אֵלֶיךָ אֲזַמֵּ֑רָה (as vPs 59:18, ᵑ6 Che Bae).
4. sometimes ׳י subject:
  a. keep, preserve, protect, accusative of person, + ב of way, etc., Gen 28:15; Gen 28:20 (J), Exod 23:20 (E; of מַלְאָח), Ps 91:11 (׳מ), Josh 24:17 (E); accusative of person (or נפשׁ) only: 1Sam 30:23; Jer 31:9; Num 6:24 (P), Job 29:2; Ps 16:1 + 10 t. Psalms; + מִן Ps 121:7 + 2 t.; accusative רַהְּלַי 1Sam 2:9, compare Prov 3:26 (מִן); Participle שֹׁמְרֶ֑ךָ Ps 121:3; Ps 121:5, compare vPs 121:4, etc.; accusative of city Ps 127:1.
  b. with accusative בְּרִית, ל person Deut 7:12, + חֶסֶד vDeut 7:7 + 5 t., אֱמֶת לְעוֺלָם ׳הַשּׁ Ps 146:6 הַשְּׁבֻעָה Deut 7:8, etc.; passive of covenant (׳י agent) עֲרוּכָה בַכֹּל וּשְׁמֻרָה 2Sam 23:5 (legal terminology, Dr).
5. keep, reserve, weeks of harvest Jer 5:24 (ל person). Niph`al36 Perfect 3 masculine singular נִשְׁמַד 2Sam 20:10, etc.; Imperfect 3 feminine singular תִּשָּׁמֵד Judg 13:13 2 masculine plural תִּשָּׁמַ֑רוּ Exod 23:13 Imperative masculine singular תִּשָּׁמֵד Isa 7:4 הִדָמשּׁ֫מֶר (לְךָׅ Gen 24:6 +; feminine singular הִשָּֽׁמְרִי Judg 13:4, etc.; —
1. be on one's guard, with בַּחֶרֶב 2Sam 20:10 by reason of the sword, i.e. against it; with ב temporal 1Sam 19:2, שָׁם 2Kgs 6:10 take heed Exod 23:13 (E) Deut 2:4 with מִן person Exod 23:21 (E), Jer 9:3 מִן of thing Judg 13:13; Deut 23:10 מִן infinitive take care not to, etc. Gen 31:29 (E), 2Kgs 6:9 infinitive without מִן Exod 19:12 (J), but read probably מֵעֲלוֺת; followed by פֶּן lest Gen 24:6 (J) + 11 t. (especially Deuteronomy); with (וְ)אַל jussive Exod 10:23 (J), Judg 13:4; Job 36:21, with Imperative coordinate Isa 7:4. — Very often Imperative (24 t.), especially in phrase הִשָּׁמֶרלְֿךָ (12 t.), הִשָּֽׁטְרוּ לָכֶם (3 t.); + לְנַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם Deut 4:15; Josh 23:11 (RD; + infinitive); + ׳בְּנַפ Jer 17:21 apparently ב pret. on peril of your life (compare ב III. 3 a), so perhaps also בְּרוּחֲכֶם Mal 2:15; Mal 2:16 (We Now).
2. keep oneself, refrain, abstain, מֵאִשָּׁה 1Sam 21:5.
3. be kept, guarded, Hos 12:14 (compare ׳שׁ of Jacob v.Hos 12:13); be preserved (by ׳י) Ps 37:28 (לִיוֺלָם), but read probably עַוָּלִים (לְעוֺלָם) נִשְׁמָ֑דוּ Hup-Ri (Now) Che Bae Du Dr. Pi`el Participle plural מְשַׁמְּרִים הַבְלֵישָֿׁוְא Jonah 2:9 those paying regard to false vanities (compare Qal Ps 31:7). Hithpa`el Imperfect 1 singular וָאֶשְׁתַּסֵּר מֵעֲוֺנַי Ps 18:24 I kept myself from, etc. = 2Sam 22:24 (verb cohortative); 3 masculine singular וְיִשְׁתַּמֵּר חֻקּוֺת עָמְרִי Mic 6:16, but read וְתִשְׁמֹר thou keepest, observest, We Now GASm.

keep, kept, observe, heed, keepeth, …
šāmar
properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e., guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc
  • to keep, guard, observe, give heed
    • (Qal)
      • to keep, have charge of
      • "to keep, guard, keep watch and ward, protect, save life
        • watch, watchman (participle)
        to watch for, wait for"to watch, observe"to keep, retain, treasure up (in memory)"to keep (within bounds), restrain"to observe, celebrate, keep (sabbath or covenant or commands), perform (vow)"to keep, preserve, protect"to keep, reserve
      (Niphal)
      • to be on one's guard, take heed, take care, beware
      • "to keep oneself, refrain, abstain"to be kept, be guarded
      (Piel) to keep, pay heed"(Hithpael) to keep oneself from

נַ֝פְשׁ ֗וֹ
נַ֝פְשׁ
Root word soul, life, souls, lives, persons, …
֗וֹ
Suffix — pronoun his / him / it
Dictionary form: נֶפֶשׁ · neh-PESH

Noun — Common, both singular, construct state "___ of …" — bound to the next word

In the KJV here: his soul
my soul ×101 soul ×38 his soul ×28 thy soul ×28 the souls ×23 the soul ×21 thy life ×16 my life ×15
More options
soul — Broad default; fits spiritual or inner-self contexts.
life — Prefer when physical existence or survival is in view.
being — Good for 'living being'; avoids religious overtones.
person — Use when נֶפֶשׁ refers to a countable individual or body.
self — Reflexive contexts: 'with all your self / whole self.'
appetite — Fitting for desire, craving, or longing passages.

BDB5310 H5315

BDB5309 | BIBLICAL HEBREW | BDB5311

נֶ֫פֶשׁ756 noun feminineGen 49:6 (so even Gen 2:19; Num 31:28; 1Kgs 19:2 see AlbrZAW xvi (1896), 42 SS) soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion (Eccl 3:18; Eccl 4:1 (twice in verse); Eccl 4:2 (twice in verse); Eccl 13:12; Eccl 14:11); — ׳נ Gen 1:20 +; נָ֑פֶשׁ Gen 37:21 +; suffix נַפְשִׁי Gen 12:13 +; plural נְפָשׁוֺת Ezek 13:18 + 13 t.; נְפָשֹׁת Exod 12:4; Lev 27:2 construct נַפְשׁוֺת Gen 36:6 + 4 t.; נַפְשֹׁת Lev 21:11 נְפָשִׁים Ezek 13:20 (but read חָפְשִׁים, see Co Berthol Toy); suffix נַפְשׁוֺתָם 2Sam 23:17 +; נַפְשֹׁתָם Num 17:3 +: —

1. = that which breathes, the breathing substance or being = ψυχή, anima, the soul, the inner being of man:
  a. distinguished from ׃בָּשָׂר מִנֶּפֶשׁ וְעַד בָּשָׂר Isa 10:18 הַנֶּפֶשׁ עִם הַבָּשָׂר Deut 12:23 from שְׁאֵר Prov 11:17 from בֶּטֶן body Ps 31:10.
  b. both the inner נפשׁ and the outer בשׂר are conceived as resting on a common substratum: אַךְ בְּשָׂרוֺ עָלָיו יִכְאָ֑ב וְנַפְשׁוֺ עָלָיו תֶּאֱבָֽל׃ Job 14:22 only his flesh upon him is in pain, and his soul upon him mourneth; compare Ps 42:5; Ps 42:7; Ps 131:2; Job 30:16; Lam 3:20 [see עַל 1 d], all poetical (compare 6 c).
  c. ׳נ departs at death and returns with life: וַיְתִי בְּצֵאת נַפְשָׁהּ כִּי מֵתָה Gen 35:18 (E) and it came to pass when her soul was going forth (for she died); נָָֽפְחָה נַפְשָׁהּ Jer 15:9 she breathed out her soul, compare 1Kgs 17:21; 1Kgs 17:22; Job 11:20; Job 31:39.
  d. often desired that the נפשׁ may be delivered: from Sh®°ôl Ps 16:10; Ps 30:4; Ps 49:16; Ps 86:13; Ps 89:49; Prov 23:14 from שַׁחַת, the pit of Sh®°ôl, Isa 38:17; Job 33:18; Job 33:22; Job 33:28; Job 33:30.
2. The נפשׁ becomes a living being: by God's breathing נשׁמת חיים into the nostrils of its בשׂר; of man Gen 2:7 (J); by implication of animals also Gen 2:19 (J); so Ps 104:29; Ps 104:30 compare Ps 66:9 man is נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה, a living, breathing being Gen 2:7 (J); elsewhere נפשׁ חיּה always of animals Gen 1:20; Gen 1:24; Gen 1:30; Gen 9:12; Gen 9:15; Gen 9:16 (all P), Ezek 47:9 so נפשׁ החיּה Gen 1:21; Gen 9:10 (both P), Lev 11:10; Lev 11:46 (H); נפשׁ השׁרצת Lev 11:46 (H); נפשׁ כל חי Job 12:10. נפשׁ is frequently used with the verb ׃חיה וחיתה נפשׁ Gen 12:13; Gen 19:20 (both J), 1Kgs 20:32 (E), Ps 119:175; Jer 38:17; Jer 38:20 חֵי נַפְשְׁךָ 1Sam 1:26; 1Sam 17:55; 1Sam 20:3; 1Sam 25:26; 2Sam 11:11; 2Sam 14:9; 2Kgs 2:2; 2Kgs 2:4; 2Kgs 2:6; 2Kgs 4:30 (all J E); compare ׳יְחַיֶּה נ 1Kgs 20:31 (E), Ezek 18:27; Ps 22:30 also Gen 19:19; Isa 55:3; Prov 3:22.
3. The נפשׁ (without חיה noun or verb) is specified:
  a. a living being whose life resides in the blood [so in Arabic WeSkizzen iii. 217 G. JacobArab. Dicht. iv. 9 f.] (hence sacrificial use of blood, and its prohib. in other uses; first in D), Deut 12:23; Deut 12:24 only be sure that thou eat not the blood, for the blood is the living being (הַדָּם הוּא הַנֶּפֶשׁ); and thou shalt not eat the living being with the flesh (הַנֶּפֶשׁ עִם הַבָּשָׂר); thou shalt pour it upon the earth as water; this is enlarged in H, Lev 17:10; Lev 17:11; Lev 17:12; Lev 17:14 and in P Gen 9:4; Gen 9:5, compare Jer 2:34.
  b. a serious attack upon the life is an attack upon this inner living being 2Sam 1:9; Jer 4:10; Jonah 2:6; Ps 69:2; Ps 124:4; Ps 124:5; Job 27:3.
  c. נפשׁ is used for life itself 171 t., of animals Prov 12:10, and of man Gen 44:30 (J); נפשׁ תחת נפשׁ life for life Exod 21:23 (E), Lev 24:18 (H), 1Kgs 20:39; 1Kgs 20:42; 2Kgs 10:24 נפשׁנו תחתיכם Josh 2:14 (J); נפשׁ בנפשׁ Deut 19:21 בנפשׁ for the life of 2Sam 14:7; Jonah 1:14 שׂם נפשׁ בכף put life in one's own hand Judg 12:3; 1Sam 19:5; 1Sam 28:21; Job 13:14 חרף נפשׁו למות Judg 5:18 risked his life to die; בנפשׁ at the risk of life Num 17:3 (P), 2Sam 23:17 = 1Chr 11:19 (twice in verse), 1Kgs 2:23; Prov 7:23; Lam 5:9 בקּשׁ נפשׁ Exod 4:19 (J), 1Sam 20:21; 1Sam 22:23 (twice in verse); 1Sam 23:15; 1Sam 25:29; 2Sam 4:8; 2Sam 16:11; 1Kgs 19:10; 1Kgs 19:14; Jer 4:30; Jer 11:21; Jer 19:7; Jer 19:9; Jer 21:7; Jer 22:25; Jer 34:20; Jer 34:21; Jer 38:16; Jer 44:30 (twice in verse); Jer 46:26; Jer 49:37; Ps 35:4; Ps 38:13; Ps 40:15; Ps 54:5; Ps 63:10; Ps 70:3; Ps 86:14; Prov 29:10 ׳שׁאל נ 1Kgs 3:11 = 2Chr 1:11; 1Kgs 19:4 = Jonah 4:8 הִכָּה נפשׁ smite mortally Gen 37:21 (J), Deut 19:6; Deut 19:11; Jer 40:14; Jer 40:15 ׳לקח נ 1Kgs 19:4; Jonah 4:3; Ps 31:14; Prov 1:19 הִצִּיל נֶפֶשׁ מִמָּוֶת deliver life from death Josh 2:13; Ps 33:19; Ps 56:14 מלּט נפשׁ1Sam 19:11; 2Sam 19:6 (4 t. in verse); 1Kgs 1:12 (twice in verse); Jer 48:6; Jer 51:6; Jer 51:45; Ezek 33:5; Amos 2:14; Amos 2:15; Ps 89:49; Ps 116:4 פדה ׳נ 2Sam 4:9; 1Kgs 1:29; Ps 34:23; Ps 49:16; Ps 55:19; Ps 71:23 ׳שׁמר נ Ps 25:20; Ps 97:10; Job 2:6; Prov 13:3; Prov 16:17; Prov 19:16; Prov 22:5.
4. The נפשׁ as the essential of man stands for the man himself:
  a. paraphrase for personal pronoun especially in poetry and ornate discourse, 70 t.; (1) נַפְשִׁי = me: אל תבא נפשׁי Gen 49:6 let me not enter (poem in J); מות ישׁרים ׳תָּמֹת נ Num 23:10 let me die, etc. (poem); תָּמוֺת נַפְשְׁי Judg 16:30 (J); אמרה נפשׁי Lam 3:24 I say. (2) נַפְשְׁךָ = thee: לְאֻמִּים תַּחַת נַפְשֶׁ֑ךָ Isa 43:4 peoples instead of thee; אָֽמְרוּ לְנַפְשֵׁךְ Isa 51:23. (3) נַפְשׁוֺ = he: נפשׁו בטוב תלין Psalms he will not dwell in good circumstances. (4) נַפְשֵׁנוּ = we: נַפְשֵׁנוּ כְּצִפּוֺר נִמְלְטָה מִפַּח יוֺקְשִׁים Ps 124:7. (5) נַפְשָׁם = they, them: נַפְשָׁם בַּשְּׁבִי הָלָ֑כָה Isa 46:2 they are gone into captivity; אוי לנפשׁם Isa 3:9.
  b. = reflexive, self, 53 t.: אסר על נפשׁ bind oneself Num 30:3; Num 30:5 (twice in verse); Num 30:6; Num 30:7; Num 30:8; Num 30:9; Num 30:10; Num 30:11; Num 30:12 ׳לְעַנֹּת נ Num 30:14 to afflict oneself . (1) נַפְשִׁי = myself: לא אדע נפשׁי Job 9:21 I know not myself. (2) נַפְשְׁךָ = thyself: ׳שׁמר נ Deut 4:9 keep thyself. (3) נַפְשׁוֺ = himself: ׳אהב כנ 1Sam 18:1; 1Sam 18:3; 1Sam 20:17 loved as himself. (4) נַפְשָׁהּ = herself: ׳צדּקה נ Jer 3:11 justified herself. (5) נַפְשָׁם = themselves: ׳הציל נ deliver themselves Isa 47:14; Ezek 14:14; Ezek 14:20. (6) נַפְשְׁכֶם, נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם = yourselves: ׳אַלתַּֿשִּׁאוּ נ Jer 37:9 deceive not yourselves, also Jer 42:20; Jer 44:7 ׳ענּה נ Lev 16:29; Lev 16:31; Lev 23:27; Lev 23:32; Num 29:7 (P); ׳נשׁמרתם לנ Deut 4:15; Josh 23:11 (D). (7) נַפְשׁוֺתֵינוּ = ourselves: ׳על נ Jer 26:19 against ourselves.
  c. = person of man, individual, 144 t., first in D2; especially in H, P, and kindred writers: (1) with אָדָם: אדם ׳נ Lev 24:17 opposed to בהמה ׳נ Lev 24:18 (both H), and so אדם ׳נ human persons Num 31:35; Num 31:40; Num 31:46 (P) 1Chr 5:21; Ezek 27:13. Elsewhere without אדם: ברכה ׳נ Prov 11:25 one who blesses; רְמִיָּה ׳נ Prov 19:15 idle person; ׳תחת נ ׳נ person in place of person, Job 16:4 כפּר ׳על נ Exod 30:15; Exod 30:16; Num 15:28; Num 31:50 (all P) Lev 17:11 (H). (2) נפשׁ = person, any one: Deut 24:7; Deut 27:25; Prov 28:17; Ezek 18:4 (3 t. in verse); Ezek 33:6 elsewhere only H P: Lev 2:1; Lev 4:2; Lev 4:27; Lev 5:1; Lev 5:2; Lev 5:4; Lev 5:15; Lev 5:17; Lev 5:21; Lev 7:18; Lev 7:20; Lev 7:21; Lev 7:25; Lev 7:27; Lev 23:29; Lev 23:30 (twice in verse); Num 5:6; Num 15:27; Num 15:30; Num 19:22; Num 31:19; Num 31:28; Num 35:11; Num 35:15; Num 35:30 (twice in verse); Josh 20:3; Josh 20:9 (all P), Lev 17:10; Lev 17:12; Lev 17:15; Lev 20:6 (twice in verse); Lev 22:6; Lev 22:11 (all H); ׳נכרתה הנ הַהִוא מן that person shall be cut off from: only in Gen 17:14; Exod 12:15; Exod 12:19; Exod 31:14; Lev 7:20; Lev 7:21; Lev 7:27; Num 9:13; Num 15:30; Num 15:31; Num 19:13; Num 19:20 (all P), Lev 19:8; Lev 22:3 (both H). (3) נפשׁ collective for persons, in enumerations: Deut 10:22; Josh 10:28; Josh 10:30; Josh 10:32; Josh 10:35; Josh 10:37 (twice in verse); Josh 10:39; Josh 11:11 (all D2) Jer 43:6; Jer 52:29; Jer 52:30 (twice in verse); Ezek 22:25 elsewhere only Gen 12:5; Gen 46:15; Gen 46:18; Gen 46:22; Gen 46:25; Gen 46:26 (twice in verse); Gen 46:27 (twice in verse); Exod 1:5 (twice in verse); Exod 12:16; Num 31:35; Num 31:40 (all P). (4) נְפָשׁוֺת persons Gen 36:6; Exod 12:4; Exod 16:16; Num 19:18 (all P), Lev 18:29; Lev 20:25; Lev 27:2 (all H), 2Kgs 12:5; Prov 11:30; Prov 14:25; Ezek 13:18 (3 t. in verse); Ezek 13:19 (twice in verse); Ezek 13:20 (twice in verse); Ezek 17:17; Ezek 18:4; Ezek 22:27 (נפשׁים Ezek 13:20 see above). (5) נפשׁ = deceased person, sometimes with מֵת, נֶפֶשׁ מֵת Num 6:6 (P), נַפְשֹׁת מֵת (ᵐ5 ᵑ6 נֶפֶשׁ) Lev 21:11 (H); usually without מֵת, נפשׁ (ה)אדם Num 9:6; Num 9:7; Num 19:11; Num 19:13 (P); or simply נפשׁ, Lev 19:28; Lev 21:1; Lev 22:4 (all H) Num 5:2; Num 6:11; Num 9:10 (all P); elsewhere only Hag 2:13.
5. נפשׁ = seat of the appetites, in all periods (46 t.) —
  a. hunger: רְעֵבָה ׳נ hungry soul Ps 107:9; Prov 27:7 with noun or verb of שׂבע satisfy Isa 56:11; Isa 58:10; Jer 50:19; Ezek 7:19; Ps 63:6; Ps 107:9; Prov 13:25; Prov 27:7 ׳מתוק לנ Prov 16:24 sweet to the taste.
  b. thirst: עֲיֵפָה ׳נ weary soul Prov 25:25; Jer 31:25 כארץ עיפה ׳נ Ps 143:6 ׳צמאה נ Ps 42:3; Ps 63:2.
  c. appetite in general: יַקִּיפוּ עָלָיו ׳אֹיְבַי בנ Ps 17:9 my enemies compass me about with greed; הִרְחִיבָה שְׁאוֺל נַפְשָׁהּ וּפָֽעֲרָה פִיהָ Isa 5:14 Sh®°ôl enlarged her appetite, etc., compare Hab 2:5; Prov 23:2 בַּעַל נֶפֶשׁ; Ecclesiastes uses נפשׁ only in the sense of a, b, c; the נפשׁ craves, lacks, and is filled with good things: Eccl 2:24; Eccl 4:8; Eccl 6:2; Eccl 6:3; Eccl 6:7; Eccl 6:9; Eccl 7:28.
6. = ׳נ seat of emotions and passions (151 t.) —
  a. desire: ׳אִוְּתָה נ soul desires Deut 12:20; Deut 14:26; 1Sam 2:16; 2Sam 3:21; 1Kgs 11:37; Job 23:13; Prov 13:4; Prov 21:10; Mic 7:1 ׳תַּאֲוַת נ Ps 10:3; Isa 26:8 ׳אַוַּת נ Deut 12:15; Deut 12:20; Deut 12:21; Deut 18:6; 1Sam 23:20; Jer 2:24 so also לנפשׁ according to one's desire Deut 21:14; Ps 78:18; Jer 34:16 כנפשׁ Deut 23:25 האח נפשׁנו ah, our desire Ps 35:25 בנפשׁ at one's desire Ps 105:22; Ezek 16:27 יָָֽצְאָה ׳נ בְדַבְּרוֺ Song 5:6 ׳נשׂא נ lift up the soul, desire Deut 24:15; 2Sam 14:14 (read אליהם, not אלהים), Ps 24:4; Ps 25:1; Ps 86:4; Ps 143:8; Prov 19:8; Jer 22:27; Jer 44:14; Hos 4:8.
  b. abhorrence, loathing: ׳געלה נ soul abhorreth Lev 26:11; Lev 26:15; Lev 26:30; Lev 26:43 (H) Jer 14:19 בחלה בי ׳וגם נ Zech 11:8 and their soul also fell a loathing against me.
  c. sorrow and distress: ׳מרי נ bitter, gloomy, discontented of soul Judg 18:25 (E) 2Sam 17:8; Job 3:20; Prov 31:6 ׳מר נ 1Sam 22:2 compare Job 7:11; Job 10:1; Isa 38:15; Ezek 27:1 ׳עָֽגְמָה נ Job 30:35 grieved; ׳אגמי נ sad of soul Isa 19:10 ׳תבכה נ my soul shall weep Jer 13:17 ירעה ׳נ his soul trembleth Isa 15:4 ׳צרת נ distress of soul Gen 42:21 (E).
  d. joy: תגיל ׳נ my soul rejoiceth Ps 35:9; Isa 61:10 ׳שׂמּח נ rejoice the soul Ps 86:4 also Ps 94:19; Ps 138:3; Prov 29:17.
  e. love: ׳אהבה נ my soul loveth Song 1:7; Song 3:1; Song 3:2; Song 3:3; Song 3:4 ׳יְדִדוּת נ darling of my soul Jer 12:7 ׳ב ׳דבקה נ his soul clave unto Gen 34:3 (J), with אחרי Ps 63:9 חשׁקה ׳ב ׳נ soul is attached to Gen 34:8 (P). feminine alienation, hatred, revenge: מן ׳תֵּקַע נ the soul is alienated from Jer 6:8; Ezek 23:17; Ezek 23:18 מן ׳נקעה נ Ezek 23:18; Ezek 23:22; Ezek 23:28 ׳שְׂנֻאי נ hated of soul 2Sam 5:8 (Qr); ׳שׂנאה נ Ps 11:5; Isa 1:14.
  g. other emotions and feelings: ׳השׁיב נ bring back soul Lam 1:11; Lam 1:19 (i.e. revive, compare with שׁוּב 1Kgs 17:21f.), hence figurative refresh, cheer, v1Kgs 17:16; Ps 19:8; Prov 25:14; Ruth 4:15 ׳שׁובב נ Ps 23:3 ׳מַחְמַל נ your souls' compassion Ezek 24:21 ׳קצרה נ soul was impatient Num 21:4 (E), Judg 10:16; Judg 16:16; Zech 11:8 כי ׳אאריך נ that I should prolong my patience Job 6:11 הגר ׳ידעתם אתנֿ ye know the feeling of the stranger Exod 23:9 (RD).

7. נפשׁ is used occasionally for mental acts + לבב (see 10); possibly also alone, owing to unconscious assimilation by late writers; but most, if not all, examples may be otherwise explained: נפשׁי ידעת מאד Ps 139:14 my soul knoweth well (or I know well; compare 4a); בלא לא טוב ׳דעת נ Prov 19:2 that the soul be without knowledge is not good (but RVm desire without knowledge, compare 6 a); ׳דעה חכמה לנ Prov 24:14 know wisdom for thy soul (or according to thy desire, compare 6 a); ׳אל תדמי בנ Esth 4:13 think not in thy soul (or in thyself, compare 4 b); כמו שׁער ׳בג Prov 23:7 as he reckoneth in his soul (but RV in himself, compare 4 b); ׳מה תאמר נ 1Sam 20:4 (but AV RV following ᵐ5 ἐπιθυμεῖ = תְּאַוֶּה; see 6 a).

8. נפשׁ for acts of the will is dubious: אם ישׁ נפשׁכם (את) if it is your purpose Gen 23:8 (P) 2Kgs 9:15 (or if it is your desire, 6 a); ׳בחרה נ my soul chooseth Job 7:15 ׳מאנה נ my soul, refuseth Job 6:7; Ps 77:3 חפצה ׳נ their soul delighteth in Isa 66:3 רצתה ׳נ my soul delighteth in Isa 42:1 (all perhaps emotional, 6 b, d, g).

9. נפשׁ = character is still more dubious: בּוֺ ׳לאֹיָָֽֿשְׁרָה נ Hab 2:4 his soul is not right in him (but ᵐ5 οὐκ εὐδοκεῖ ἡ ψυχή μου ἐν αὐτῷ [εὐδοκεῖ = רצתה], see
6.); נַפְשִׁי לאֹ מְטֻמָּאָה Ezek 4:14 my soul hath not (or I have not, 4 a) been polluted.
10. ׳נin D, when used with לבב, is assimilated to it, and shares with it the meanings of 7, 8, 9; and so in later writers influenced by D (unless we may think that ׳ל is used of intellect, while ׳נ is used of the feelings): thus, בכל לבב ובכל נפשׁ (see לבב): with דרשׁ Deut 4:29; 2Chr 15:12 עשׂה Deut 26:16 אהב Deut 6:5; Deut 13:4; Deut 30:6 ידע Josh 23:14 עבד Deut 10:12; Deut 11:13; Josh 22:5 שׁמע בקלו Deut 30:2 שׁוב אל Deut 30:10; 1Kgs 8:48 = 2Chr 6:38; 2Kgs 23:25 שׁמר מצות 2Kgs 23:3 = 2Chr 34:31 הלך לפני1Kgs 2:4 and Deut 11:18; 1Sam 2:35; 1Chr 22:19; 1Chr 28:9; Jer 32:41; Ps 13:8; Prov 2:10; Prov 24:12. Note. — In three cases is generally found closer approach to supposed radical meaning breath:
  a. שׁמן וקטרת ישׂמח לב ומתק רעהו מעצת נפשׁ Prov 27:9. Ges (after Döderlein) renders a. ׳מעצת נ more than odorous trees, so later edds., even Buhl; but ᵑ9 De SS transpose) מֵעֲצַת רֵעֵהוּ ׳וּמֶתֶק נ. ᵐ5 Hi Bi ומתקרעה = the soul is rent asunder by cares. In any case נפשׁis || לב, compare
10. b. נַפְשׁוֺ גֶּחָלִים תְּלַהֵט Job 41:13 his breath kindleth coals (of the crocodile).The piece is one of the latest in the book; primitive meaning hardly in such a passage; context favours reference to passion or fury; perhaps below 6 f, his passion or fury kindleth coals.
  c. בָּתֵּי הַנֶּפֶשׁ Isa 3:20 perfume boxes; meaning evident from context; but not necessarily scent (breath)-boxes; may be 6 a, boxes of desire, or 5, boxes exciting the sense of smell; = smelling boxes or bottles. No sufficient evidence in Biblical Hebrew, therefore, for meaning breath, odour. — See, for complete study of נֶפֶשׁ (all passages), BrJBL 1897,17 ff.


BDB7797 H7307 H5315 H3824 H1320 H3820

BDB7796 | BIBLICAL HEBREW | BDB7798

רוּחַ378 noun feminineGen 41:8 (less often masculineExod 10:13 +) breath, wind, spirit; — absolute ׳ר Gen 8:1 +, ר֑וּחָה Jer 52:23 construct רוּחַ Gen 6:17 +; suffix רוּחִי vGen 6:3 +, רוּחֲךָ Ps 104:30 +, etc.; plural רוּחוֺת vPs 104:4 +, רֻחוֺת Jer 49:36, רוּחֹת Num 16:22; Num 26:16 (see Brרוח in O.T., JBL xix (1900), 132 ff., full statement of all passages); —

1. breath of mouth or nostrils (33 t.):
  a. רוּחַ פִּיו Job 15:30 breath of his mouth, compare Job 19:17 רוּחַ אַפֵּינוּ Lam 4:20 (figurative of king), of idols לֹא רוּחַ בָּם Jer 10:14 = Jer 51:17, Hab 2:19; Ps 135:17 compare Job 9:18.
  b. as mere breath: compare 2 e. דִּבְרֵירֿוּחַ Job 16:3 i.e. windy words; נוֺאָשׁ לְרוּחַ אִמְרֵי Job 6:26, הַנְּבִיאִים יִהְיוּ לְרוּחַ Jer 5:13.
  c. as word of command: (1) of God: (נעשׂו) בְּרוּחַ פִּיו כָּלֿ צְבָאָםPs 33:6, compare Isa 34:16 (|| פֶּה); (2) of Messianic king: בְּרוּחַ שְׂפָתָיו יָמִית רָשָׁע Isa 11:4.
  d. as hard breathing through the nostrils in anger: (1) of God: מֵרוּח אַפּוֺ יִכְלוּ Job 4:9; Exod 15:8 (poem), 2Sam 22:16 = Ps 18:16; Isa 30:28; Isa 59:19 (2) of man: רוּחַ עָרִיצִים Isa 25:4.
  e. as sign and symbol of life: רוּחַ חַיִּים breath of life Gen 6:17; Gen 7:15 (P); נִשְׁמַת רוּחַ חַיִּים בְּאַפָּיו Gen 7:22 (P); Ezek 37:5, compare vEzek 37:6 vEzek 37:8 vEzek 37:9 vEzek 37:9 vEzek 37:9 vEzek 37:10 vEzek 37:14 (breath or spirit), Eccl 3:19.
2. wind (117 t.):
  a. wind of heaven: Gen 8:1 (P) Exod 15:10 (E) Num 11:31 (J) 1Kgs 18:45 +, Jer 10:13, thence Jer 51:16; Ps 135:7 ׳רוּחַ י Hos 13:15; Isa 40:7, compare Job 26:13 (Di Bu); רוּחַ (ה)קָדִים east wind Exod 10:13 (twice in verse); Exod 14:21 (J) Ps 48:8; Jer 18:17; Ezek 17:10; Ezek 19:12; Ezek 27:26; Jonah 4:8 צָפוֺן ׳ר north wind Prov 25:23 יָם ׳ר sea wind (west wind) Exod 10:19 (J); . הַיּוֺם ׳ר day wind, evening wind Gen 3:8 (J; compare Song 2:17; Song 4:6); אַרְבַּע רוּחוֺת four winds Jer 49:36; Ezek 37:9 (quarters?) Dan 8:8; Dan 11:4 (figurative quarters; compare b), Zech 2:10; Zech 6:5 רוּחַ סְעְרָה storm wind Ps 107:25; Ps 148:8; Ezek 1:4 (סְעָרוֺת ׳ר), Ezek 13:11; Ezek 13:13 רוּחַ סֹעָה rushing wind Ps 55:9 (read possibly סערה Hup); בַּעְיָם רוּחוֺ Isa 11:15 (read ׳בְּעֹצֶם ר, see עֲיָם, עֹצֶם), etc; wind personified: כַּנְפֵי רוּחַ 2Sam 22:11 = Ps 18:11; Ps 104:3, compare Hos 4:19; Ps 104:4.
  b. quarter (of wind), side: רוּחַ הַקָּדִים Ezek 42:16 east side; רוּחַ הַצָּפוֺן vEzek 42:17 north side; רוּחַ הַדָּרוֺם vEzek 42:18 south side; רוּחַ הַיָּם vEzek 42:19 west side; אַרְבַּע רוּחוֺת vEzek 42:20; 1Chr 9:24 four sides; ר֑וּחָה Jer 52:23 on the sides.
  c. breath of air: שָׁאֲפוּ רוּחַ כַּתַּנִּים Jer 14:6 רוּחַ לֹא יָבֹא בֵּינֵיהֶם Job 41:8.
  d. air, gas, from womb (dubious): כְּמוֺ יָלַדְנוּ רוּחַ Isa 26:18 (Di, e); רוּחֲכֶם אֵשׁ תֹּאכַלְכֶם (RV breath) Isa 33:11 (Du, 3 c).
  e. vain, empty thing: רוּחַיָּי֑ Job 7:7 my life is wind; דַּעַת רוּחַ Job 15:2 רוּחַ וָתֹהוּ נִסְכֵּיהֶם Isa 41:29 רְעוּת רוּחַ striving for wind Eccl 1:14; Eccl 2:11; Eccl 2:17; Eccl 2:26; Eccl 4:4; Eccl 4:6; Eccl 6:9 compare Eccl 1:17; Eccl 4:16; Eccl 5:15.
3. spirit, as that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation = temper, disposition (76 t.; so, distinctively, as compared with נֶפֶשׁ and לֵבָב):
  a. spirit, animation, vivacity, vigour: לֹא הָיָה בָהּ עוֺד רוּחַ 1Kgs 10:5 = 2Chr 9:4 מַהזֶּֿה רוּחֲךָ סָרָה 1Kgs 21:5 וַתְּחִי רוּחַ Gen 45:27 (E); וַתָּשָׁב רוּחוֺ Judg 15:19; 1Sam 30:12.
  b. courage: ׳לֹא הָיָה בָם עוֺד ר Josh 5:1 נְגִידִים ׳יִבְצֹר ר Ps 76:13 מִצְרַיִם ׳וְנָָֽבְקָה ר Isa 19:3 תתעטּף רוּחִי Ps 77:4; Ps 142:4; Ps 143:4 לֹא קָמָה ׳עוֺד ר Josh 2:11 אִישׁ יְכַלְכֵּל מַחֲלֵהוּ ׳ר Prov 18:14.
  c. temper, especially anger: ׳רוּחַ רָעָה בֵּין וגו Judg 9:23 אָז רָֽפְתָה רוּחָם Judg 8:3 משֵׁל בְּרוּחוֺ Prov 16:32, compare Prov 25:28; Prov 29:11; Job 15:13 הֵנִיחוּ אֶתרֿוּחִי Zech 6:8; Eccl 7:9; Eccl 10:4.
  d. impatience or patience: קֹצֶר רוּחַ Exod 6:9 (P) impatience, hastiness of temper, compare (of ׳י) Mic 2:7 קְצַררֿוּחַ Prov 14:29 (|| אֶרֶךְ אַפַיִם); הֱצִיקַתְנִי רוּחַ בִּטְנִי Job 32:18 (Du breath; Di Bu divine spirit, compare vJob 32:8); אִם מַדּוּעַ לֹאתִֿקְצַר רוּחִי Job 21:4 ׳הֲקָצַר רוּחַ י Mic 2:7 ׳אֶרֶךְ ר Eccl 7:8.
  e. spirit, disposition, as troubled, bitter, or discontented; וַתִּפָּעֶם רוּח(וׅ (his) spirit was troubled Gen 41:8 (E) Dan 2:3, compare vDan 2:1 מֹרַת רוּחַ Gen 26:35 (P) bitterness of spirit; ׳עֲצוּבַת ר Isa 54:6, compare Ezek 3:14; Job 6:4. feminine as crushed: וְכִהֲתָה כָלרֿוּחַ Ezek 21:12, compare Isa 61:3; Prov 15:4; Prov 15:13; Prov 17:22; Prov 18:14; Ps 143:7.
  g. disposition of various kinds, often unaccountable and uncontrollable impulse: הֵעִיר אֶתרֿוּחַ 1Chr 5:26 (twice in verse); 2Chr 21:16; 2Chr 36:22; Ezra 1:1; Ezra 1:5; Jer 51:11; Hag 1:14 (3 t. in verse); הִנְנִי נ(וֺ)תֵן בּוֺ רוּח2Kgs 19:7 = Isa 37:7; Num 14:24 (J; see עִם 4 b), Mal 2:15 (twice in verse); Mal 2:16; Deut 2:30 רוּחַ קִנְאָה jealous disposition Num 5:14 (twice in verse); Num 5:30 (P); רוּחַ וְנוּנִים Hos 4:12; Hos 5:4 רוּחַ עִוְעִיםIsa 19:14 רוּחַ מִשְׁפָּט Isa 28:6 אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר רוּחַ אֱלהִֹרם בּוֺ (administrative) Gen 41:38 (E); קַר רוּחַ אִישׁ הְּבוּנָה Prov 17:27.
  h. prophetic spirit: יְהוֺשֻׁעַ אִישׁ אֲשֶׁרֿ רוּחַ בּזֹNum 27:18 (P; or g, as Gen 41:38); רוּחַ אֵלִיָּהוּ עַלאֱֿלִישָׁע2Kgs 2:15, compare v2Kgs 2:9 רוּחַ תַּרְדֵמָה spirit of deep sleep (ecstatic, compare Gen 2:21; Gen 15:12, but Di and others g, as Isa 19:14) Isa 29:10; Mic 2:11 רוּחַ הַטֻמְאָה Zech 13:2 (of lying prophets), compare Ezek 13:3.
4. spirit of the living, breathing being, dwelling in the בָּשָׂר of men and animals, || נֶפֶשׁ (25 t.):
  a. gift and creation of God: יֹצֵר רוּחַ אָדָם בְּקִרְבּוֺ Zech 12:1 רוּחַ אֱלוֺהַּ בְּאַפִּי Job 27:3, compare Isa 42:5.
  b. God preserves it: פְּקֻדָּֽתְךָ שָֽׁמְרָה רוּחִי Job 10:12, compare Job 12:10 אֱלֹהֵי הָרוּחֹת לְכָל בָּשָׂ֑ר Num 16:22; Num 27:16 (P); תֹּכֵן רוּחוֺת Prov 16:2.
  c. it is therefore God's spirit: Gen 6:3 (J; see דִּין near the end).
  d. it departs at death: Ps 78:39 (Dr a wind that passeth away 2 e); חַיֵּי רוּחִי Isa 38:16 (Di principle of life), Ps 146:4 especially Ps 104:29; Ps 104:30; Job 17:1; Job 34:14 (compare vJob 34:15), Isa 57:16; Eccl 8:8 (twice in verse) (wind Wild); אֵינְךָ יוֺדֵעַ מַהדֶּֿרֶךְ הָרוּחַ Eccl 11:5, compare Eccl 3:21 over ag. הָרוּחַ תָּשׁוּב אֶלהָֿאֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר נְתָנָהּ Eccl 12:7 בְּיָָֽדְךָ אַפְקִיד רוּחִי Ps 31:6.
  e. disembodied being (dubious, Di Du breath of wind): וְרוּחַ עַלפָּֿנַי יַחֲלֹף Job 4:15.
5. spirit as seat of emotion = נֶפֶשׁ:
  a. desire (possibly 3 g), Isa 26:9 (|| נֶפֶשׁ).
  b. sorrow, trouble (probably 3 e), Job 7:11 (|| נֶפֶשׁ). — 1Sam 1:15 see קָשֶׁה.
6. occasionally, (and late) = seat or organ of mental acts, || לֵב, or synonym with it: רוּחַ חָכְמָה Exod 28:3; Deut 34:9 (both P; probably 3 g); תּעֵי רוּחַ Isa 29:24, compare Job 20:3 (Hi Bu Du wind of Job's words), Ps 77:7 (ᵐ5 Symm ᵑ6 Jerome troubled disposition); רוּחַ יהוה Isa 40:13 come into mind (compare לֵב Isa 65:17; Jer 3:16 +); 1Chr 28:12.
7. rarely of the will; also = רוּחַ נָכוֺן לֵב Ps 51:12 (= לֵב נָכוֺן Ps 57:8 (twice in verse) +); רוּחַ נְדִיבָה vPs 51:14 נָָֽדְבָה רוּחוֺ Exod 35:21 (P; compare נְדִיב לֵב Exod 35:5; Exod 35:22 (P) 2Chr 29:31).
8. רוּחַ especially of moral character; also = ׃לֵב רוּחַ חֲדָשָׁהEzek 11:19; Ezek 18:31; Ezek 36:26 רוּחִי vEzek 36:27; Isa 59:21 (רוּחִי, || דְּבָרַי; but probably prophetic spirit 9 b); לֵב חָדָשׁ Ezek 18:31; Ezek 36:26 נְכֵה רוּחַ Isa 66:2 דַּכְּאֵי רוּחַ Ps 34:19 (compare לֵב נִדְכָּאִים Isa 57:15); מִשֵּׁבֶר רוּחַ Isa 65:14 (compare 3 f); רוּחַ נִשְׁבָּרֶה Ps 51:19 (|| לֵב נִשְׁבָּר, compare נִשְׁבְּרֵי לֵב Ps 34:19; Isa 61:1); Ps 32:2; Prov 11:13; Prov 16:18; Ps 78:8; Eccl 7:8 (compare גְּבַהּלֵב Prov 16:5); שְׁפַל רוּחַ Prov 16:19; Prov 29:23; Isa 57:15 רוּחַ שְׁפָלִים vIsa 57:15 (compare 3 f).
9. spirit of God (94 t.; not D or Jeremiah or any Deuteronomic writer; conception of its activity in inspiring prophecy probably discredited from abuse by false prophets, see נביא, נבא):
  a. as inspiring ecstatic state of prophecy, Num 11:17; Num 11:25 (twice in verse); Num 11:26; Num 11:29 (J), 1Sam 10:6; 1Sam 10:10 (compare v1Sam 10:5), 1Sam 19:20; 1Sam 19:23 as inciting to deeds of frenzy, in the ecstatic state; hence conceived as אֱלֹהִים רָעָה ׳ר 1Sam 16:15 (twice in verse); 1Sam 16:16, = ׳רָעָה מֵאֵת י ׳ר v1Sam 16:14 = רָעָה ׳א ׳צלח ר 1Sam 18:10 (other narrative) = רָעָה ׳י ׳ר 1Sam 19:9 ׳א ׳ר 1Sam 16:23 = רוּחַ הָרָעָה v1Sam 16:23, compare הָרוּחַ 1Kgs 22:21 = שֶׁקֶר ׳ר v1Kgs 22:22 v1Kgs 22:23 = 2Chr 18:20; 2Chr 18:21; 2Chr 18:22 = ׳רוּחַ י 1Kgs 22:24 = 2Chr 18:23 compare also (in earlier prophets) אִישׁ הָרוּחַ, i.e. one possessed by the spirit in the ecstatic state, || הַנָּבִּיא Hos 9:7 ׳רוּחַ י Mic 3:8 (|| בֹּחַ) is probably gloss (We Now); וְלֹא רוּחִי Isa 30:1 רוּחַ dealing with Ezek.: Ezek 2:2; Ezek 3:12; Ezek 3:14; Ezek 3:24; Ezek 8:3; Ezek 11:1; Ezek 11:5; Ezek 11:24 (Co gloss), Ezek 37:1; Ezek 43:5 (all implying ecstatic state of vision), compare Elijah 1Kgs 18:12; 2Kgs 2:16.
  b. spirit as impelling prophets to utter instruction or warning (higher and later conception): transition probably Num 24:2; 2Sam 23:2; 1Chr 12:18 elsewhere in Chronicles: 2Chr 15:1; 2Chr 20:14; 2Chr 24:20 distinctly in Isa2, Isa 48:16, compare Isa 61:1 so of ancient prophets, Zech 7:12; Neh 9:30 compare, of future prophetic gift, Joel 3:1; Joel 3:2.
  c. imparting warlike energy, and executive and administrative power: (1) to שֹׁפְטִים, מוֺשִׁיעִים, מְלָכִים, of ancient Israel: וַתְּהִי רוּחַ על ׳י Judg 3:10; Judg 11:29, compare Judg 6:34; Judg 13:25; Judg 14:6; Judg 14:19; Judg 15:14; 1Sam 11:6; 1Sam 16:13; 1Sam 16:14 so also עַד יֵעָרֶה עָלֵינוּ רוּחַ מִמָּרוֺם Isa 32:15 (2) resting upon Messianic king: Isa 11:2 (3 t. in verse); upon servant of ׳י, Isa 42:1.
  d. late, as endowing men with various gifts: technical skill Exod 31:3; Exod 35:31 (P); understanding Job 32:8 (|| נִשְׁמַת שַׁדַּי); poured out by divine wisdom Prov 1:23.
  e. as energy of life: רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים מְרַחֶפֶת עַלפְּֿנֵי הַמָּ֑יִם Gen 1:2 (P); רוּחַ אֵל עָשָׂ֑תְנִי Job 33:4 (|| נִשְׁמַת שַׁדַּי); as vital power, opposed to בָשָׂר: Isa 31:3 in cherubic chariot: Ezek 1:12, compare vEzek 1:20 vEzek 1:21; Ezek 10:17 reviving Israel Ezek 39:29; Zech 12:10; Isa 44:3. feminine = ancient angel of the presence and later Shekina: קָדְשׁוֺ ׳ר Isa 63:10; Isa 63:11 = ׳י ׳ר vIsa 63:14 (= מַלְאַךְ פָּנָיו vIsa 63:9), compare Ps 106:33 so also קָדְשְׁךָ ׳ר Ps 51:13 (in national prayer), compare Neh 9:20; Ps 143:10 prophets of restoration conceive of the divine spirit as standing in their midst and about to fulfil all divine promises: רוּחִי עֹמֶדֶת בְּתוֺכֲכֶם Hag 2:5; Zech 4:6 this conception culminates in רוּחַ = divine Presence, and as such omnipresent, Ps 139:7 (|| פָּנֶיךָ; compare vPs 139:8).

soul, life, souls, lives, persons, …
nepeš
properly, a breathing creature, i.e., animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental)
  • soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion
    • that which breathes, the breathing substance or being, soul, the inner being of man
    • "living being"living being (with life in the blood)"the man himself, self, person or individual"seat of the appetites"seat of emotions and passions"activity of mind
      • dubious
      activity of the will
      • dubious
      activity of the character
      • dubious

יִרְחַ֥ק
יִרְחַ֥ק
Root word far, off, away, removed, very, …
Dictionary form: רָחַק · raw-HAHK

Verb — Qal, Imperfect (Yiqtol), third person masculine singular simple action — "he did" not-yet-complete action — try "he will ___" or "he ___s" the built-in subject is "he (or it)"

In the KJV here: shall be far from them
far ×7 is far ×3 be too far ×2 afar off ×1 are far ×1 are gone away far ×1 as far as ×1 be far off ×1
More options
be far — Most neutral; fits distance in space or abstraction.
be distant — Slightly more formal; good for relational or emotional distance.
be removed — Emphasizes separation or estrangement from something.
withdraw — Active nuance; implies deliberate movement away.
keep away — Good for commands or prohibitions; volitional distancing.
be far off — Modernizes common KJV phrase; vivid sense of remoteness.

BDB7883 H7368

BDB7882 | BIBLICAL HEBREW | BDB7884

רָחַק verb be, or become, far, distant (Late Hebrew = Biblical Hebrew; Assyrian especially adjective rû‡u, far; compare Arabic choice wine (i.e. from a distance) Frä158; Ethiopic be far, Sabean רחק CISiv, nos. 95, 98; Aramaic רְחֵיק, רְחַק, and (often in derived species and derivatives) ); —

Qal Perfect 3 masculine singular ׳ר Isa 59:9; Lam 1:16, etc.; Imperfect 3 masculine singular יִרְחַק Deut 12:21 +, etc.; Imperative feminine singular רַחֲקִי Isa 54:14, masculine plural רַחֲקוּ Ezek 11:15 < Perfect רָֽחֲקוּ Ra Hi Sm Co Toy Krae; Infinitive construct רְחֹק Ps 103:12; Eccl 3:5, לְרָֽחֳקָה Ezek 8:6be far, distant: with מִן person, of place Deut 12:21; Deut 14:24, of person, = neglect, abandon, Prov 19:7, especially in Psalms, of ׳י, Ps 22:12; Ps 22:20 (מִן person omitted), Ps 35:22; Ps 38:22; Ps 71:12 of utter absence, or non-existence Lam 1:16, compare Isa 49:19 (absolute), subject justice Isa 59:9 (opposed to הִשִּׂיג), compare vIsa 59:11 (|| אַיִן), subject blessing Ps 109:17 subject עֲצַת רְשָׁעִים Job 21:16; Job 21:18 with מֵעַל person (׳י), of Israel (figurative) Jer 2:5, compare Ezek 44:10 = far from (land of) ׳י Ezek 11:15 (see above; Krae insert אֶרֶץ); with מֵעַל location Ezek 8:6 (of ׳י), מִן local (east from west) Ps 103:12 with מִן of thing (figurative): תּוֺרָֽתְךָ Ps 119:150 (opposed to קרב); מִיֶּשַׁע Job 5:14, מֵעשֶׁק Isa 54:14, compare Prov 22:5 = wholly abstain from Exod 23:7 (E), so (מִן infinitive) Eccl 3:5 absolute of ׳י's righteousness, with reference to time Isa 46:13 (|| אחר; opposed to קרב). — יִרְחַקחֹֿק Mic 7:11 boundary shall become distant, i.e. territory be enlarged (? corrupt, compare We Now); ירחק חֶבֶל הַכֶּסֶף Kt Eccl 12:6 be removed ? Qr יֵרָתֵק be joined ? ᵐ5 ἀνατραπῇ, ᵑ9 rumpatur, compare ᵑ6, read probably יִנָּתֵק Pfannk Thes Ew De Siegf BuhlLex. Pi`el Perfect 3 masculine singular רִחַק Isa 6:12, of ׳י, send far away, accusative of person; of people, ׳לִבּוֺ ר Isa 29:13, with מִן of ׳י; 2 masculine singular רִחַקְתָּ Isa 26:15 thou hast far extended (with accusative) all the ends (boundaries) of the land; Imperfect 3 masculine plural יְרַחֲקוּ אֶתוְֿנוּתָם Ezek 43:9. Hiph`il Perfect 3 masculine singular הִרְחִיק Job 19:13; Ps 103:12, 1 singular suffix הִרְחַקְתִּים Ezek 11:16, etc.; Imperfect 3 masculine singular suffix יַרְחִיקֶנָּה Prov 22:15, 2 masculine singular תַּרְחִיק Job 22:23, etc.; Imperative masculine singular הַרְחֵק Prov 4:24 + 2 t., הַרְחַ֑ק Job 13:21, suffix הַרְחִיקֵהוּ Job 11:14 Infinitive absolute הַרְחֵק Gen 21:16 +, construct הַרְחִיק Jer 27:10, suffix הַרְחִיקָם Joel 4:6
1. direct causation make, or exhibit, distance, be gone far, subject person: Gen 44:4 (J), with מִן local Josh 8:4 (JE), Judg 18:22 followed by infinitive construct לָלֶכֶת ׳הַרְחֵק לֹא תַר Exod 8:24 (J), compare Ps 55:8, Infinitive absolute as adverb = at a distance Gen 21:16 (E), with מִן local Exod 33:7 (E), Josh 3:16 (J E; ׳הַר מְאֹד מִן, Qr; > Kt ב for מן).
2. indirect causation remove, put far away, with accusative of person + מֵעַל of land Jer 27:10, compare Joel 4:6, + מֵעַל person Job 19:13 and (accusative הַצְּפוֺנִי) Joel 2:20, + מִן person Ps 88:9; Ps 88:19 + בַּגּוֺיִם Ezek 11:16 with accusative כַּף + מֵעַל person Job 13:21, with accusative דֶּרֶךְ + id. Prov 5:8 with accusative of sin + מִן person Prov 4:24; Job 11:14 (מִן person omitted); Prov 22:15; Prov 30:8; Ps 103:12 + מִן local Job 22:23.


BDB9901 H7350 H7368

BDB9900 | BIBLICAL ARAMAIC | BDB9902

רחק (√ of following; see Biblical Hebrew רחק, רָחוֺק).

far, off, away, removed, very, …
rāḥaq
to widen (in any direction), i.e., (intransitively) recede or (transitively) remove (literally or figuratively, of place or relation)
  • (v) to be or become far, be or become distant, be removed, go far away
    • (Qal) to be far, be distant
    • "(Piel) to send far away, extend"(Hiphil)
      • to make or exhibit distance, be gone far
      • "to remove, put far away
    (Niphal) loose"(v inf) (used as an adverb) at a distance

מֵ הֶֽם
מֵ
Preposition they, those, these, them, who, …
הֶֽם
Suffix — pronoun their / them
Dictionary form: הֵם · hame

Preposition

they ×204 and they ×49 in those ×34 are they ×33 these ×15 but they ×12 them ×10 those ×8
More options
they — Default third-person plural pronoun; broadest usage.
them — Use when serving as object of verb or preposition.
those — Demonstrative use; points to a specific group or set.
these — Demonstrative, near reference; contrasts with distant group.
who — Relative pronoun use; links back to a preceding noun.
themselves — Reflexive or emphatic contexts stressing the subject.

BDB2087 H1931 H1992 H2007

BDB2086 | BIBLICAL HEBREW | BDB2088

הוּא masculine הִיא feminine (plural masculine הֵ֫מָּה, הֵם; feminine הֵ֫נָּה, הֵן [the latter only with prefixes]; see these words), pronoun of the 3rd person singular, he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it, Latin is, ea, id. (The א is not orthographic merely, but radical, being written on Moabite and Phoenician inscriptions, though dropped in some of the later dialects. [In Hebrew only Jer 29:23 Kt, and in the proper name אֱלִיהוּ.] Moabite (MI6; 27) and Phoenician (often) הא; Aramaic of Zinjirli הא, once הו (DHMInschr. von Sendschirli 55); ᵑ7 הוּא, הִיא Syriac , ; Arabic , (for h¥°a, h£°a, WSG 104); Ethiopic we°§t¥, ye°§t£; perhaps also Assyrian šû, šî, himself, herself suffix šu, ši; compare demonstrative šuatu, šiati (see KraeBAS. i. 383 & references, WSG 98, 105 Dl§ 55b, 57). In the Pentateuch, הוא is of common gender, the feminine form הִיא occurring only 11 times, namely Gen 14:2; Gen 20:5; Gen 38:25 (see Masora here), Lev 11:39; Lev 13:10; Lev 13:21; Lev 16:31; Lev 20:17; Lev 21:9; Num 5:13; Num 5:14. The punctuators, however, sought to assimilate the usage of the Pentateuch to that of the rest of the OT, and accordingly wherever הוא was construed as a feminine pointed it הִוא (as a Qr perpetuum). Outside the Pentateuch the same Qr occurs 1Kgs 17:15; Isa 30:33; Job 31:11a — probably for the sake of removing gramm. anomalies: five instances of the converse change, namely of היא to be read as הוּא, occur for a similar reason, 1Kgs 17:15 (וַתּאֹכַל הוּאוָֿהִיא to be read as וַתּאֹכַל הִיאוָֿהוּא, on account of the feminine verb) Ps 73:16; Job 31:11b (כי הוא זמה והיא עָוֺן פלילים to be read as כי היא זמה והוא עון פלילים), Eccl 5:8; 1Chr 29:16. The origin of the peculiarity in the Pentateuch is uncertain. It can hardly be a real archaism : for the fact that arab., Aramaic, & Ethiopic have distinct forms for masculine & feminine shews that both must have formed part of the original Semitic stock, and consequently of Hebrew as well, from its earliest existence as an independent language. Nor is the peculiarity confined to the Pentateuch: in the Manuscript of the Later Prophets, of A.D. , now at St. Petersburg, published in facsimile by Strack (1876), the feminine occurs written הוא (see the passages cited in the Adnotationes Criticae, p. 026). In Phoenician both masculine and feminine are alike written הא (CIS i. 1Chr 1:9 מלך צדק הא, 1Chr 1:13 מלאכת הא, 1Chr 3:10 אדם הא, 1Chr 1:11 ממלכת הא, 1Chr 93:2; 1Chr 94:2), though naturally this would be read as hu° or hi° as occasion required. Hence, as ᵐ5 shews that in the older Hebrew MSS. the scriptio plena was not yet generally introduced, it is probably that originally הא was written for both genders in Hebrew likewise, and that the epicene הוא in the Pentateuch originated at a comparatively late epoch in the transmission of the text — perhaps in connection with the assumption, which is partly borne out by facts (compare DeZKWL 1880, pp. 393-399), that in the older language feminine forms were more sparingly used than subsequently.)

In usage הוּא (feminine הִיא; plural הֵ֫מָּה, הֵם, ׃ הֵ֫נָּה see הֵ֫מָּה) is

1. an emphatic he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (especially with the article) that (those):
  a. Gen 3:15 הוא ישׁופך ראשׁ he (ᵐ5 αὐτὸς) shall bruise thee as to the head (opposed to the following אתה thou), vGen 3:20 for she (and no one else) was the mother of all living (so often in causal sentences, where some emphasis on the subject is desirable as Judg 14:3; Ps 24:2; Ps 25:15; Ps 33:9; Ps 91:3; Ps 103:14; Ps 148:5; Job 5:18; Job 11:11; Job 28:24; Jer 5:5; Jer 34:7b Hos 6:1; Hos 11:10 : Dr1Sam 14:18), 1Sam 4:20 Adah bare Jabal הוא היה אבי ישׁב אהלים he (ἐκεῖνος) was the father of tent-dwellers, v1Sam 4:21; 1Sam 10:8 he began to be a mighty one in the earth, 1Sam 20:5 (αὐτός), Judg 13:5; Isa 32:7; Isa 33:22; 2Kgs 14:7; 2Kgs 14:22; 2Kgs 14:25; Hos 10:2 he — the unseen observer of their thoughts and deeds (Che), Hos 13:15 b (he, the foe figured by the east wind). (For its use thus in circumstantial clauses see Dr§ 157, 160, 168, 169.) And where the predicate is a substantive or participle, Gen 2:11 הוּא הַסֹּבֵב ֗֗֗ that is the one which encompasseth etc., vGen 2:13 vGen 2:14; Gen 10:12 that is the great city. So in the explanatory notices, Gen 14:3 הוּא יָם הַמֶּלַת that is the salt sea, vGen 14:8 הוּאצֹֿעַר that is Zoar, Gen 36:1 + often
  b. pointing back to the subj. and contrasting it with something else : Gen 4:4 הבל גסהֿוא Abel, he also ... vGen 4:26; Gen 10:21; Gen 20:5 וְהִיאגַֿםהִֿוא and she, herself also said, Exod 1:10 + often
  c. appended alone to a verb (more rarely, but always with intentional emphasis), Exod 4:14 I know כי דבר ידבר הוא that he can speak, vExod 4:16; 1Sam 22:18 ויפגע הוא בכהנים and he (though none else would do it) smote the priests, 1Sam 23:22 for one hath told me, עָרֹם יַעְרִם הוּא He can deal subtilly, Ezek 12:12 (peculiarly), compare Dr§ 160 n.: very rarely indeed to a noun Num 18:23 הַלֵּוִי הוּא Isa 7:14 הוא ׳י, Esth 9:1 (הֵמָּה) being probably all the examples in the OT.
  d. Gen 13:1 and Abram came up out of Egypt, הוּא וְאִשְׁתּוֺ himself and his wife, and all that he had, Gen 14:15 הוּא וַעֲבָדָיו he and his servants, Gen 19:30 so very often
  e. prefixed to a noun (very rare, and mostly late), Exod 12:42b Ezek 3:8 & Ezek 33:8 הוּא רָשָׁע : to proper names Exod 6:27 הוא משׁה ואהרן, 1Chr 26:26 that Shelomoth, 1Chr 27:6; 2Chr 28:22; 2Chr 32:12 (different from 2Kgs 18:22), v2Kgs 18:30; 2Kgs 33:23; Ezra 7:6: compare הֵם Neh 10:38 (compare in Syriac , § 227): compare Ps 87:5; 1Sam 20:29.

2. It resumes the subject with emphasis:
  a. when the predicate is a verb (especially if it be separated from its subject by an intervening clause), Gen 15:4 but one that shall come forth out of thine own bowels, הוּא יִירָשֶׁ֑ךָ he shall be thy heir, Gen 3:12 the woman whom thou gavest to be with me, הוא נתנה לי she gave to me, Gen 24:7; Gen 44:17 etc. Judg 7:4; 2Sam 14:19 (throwing stress on יוֺאָב) 1Chr 11:20; Isa 33:15-16; Isa 34:16; Isa 38:19; Isa 47:10; Isa 59:16; Isa 63:5; Hos 7:8 often in Proverbs, as Hos 10:18; Hos 10:22; Hos 10:24; Hos 11:28; Hos 13:13; Hos 19:21; Hos 22:9; Hos 24:12; 1Sam 1:13 (see Dr), Ps 68:36.
  b. when the predicate is a noun, Gen 2:14 and the fourth river, הוּא פְרָת it was the Euphrates, vGen 2:19; Gen 9:18; Gen 15:2; Gen 42:6 הַשַּׁלִּיט וְיוֺסֵף הוּא and Joseph, he was the ruler etc.: in sentences of the type הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים ׳י, הוּא הַנִּלְחָם ׳י לָכֶם, הוּא נַחֲלָ˜תְךָ ׳י, Deut 3:22; Deut 4:35; Deut 7:9; Deut 10:9; Josh 13:14; Josh 13:33; Isa 9:14; Isa 33:6; (in these cases, to avoid stiffness, it is convenient often to drop the pronoun in translating, as 'And the fourth river was the Euphrates:' the pronoun, however, though it then corresponds to the substantive verb in English, does not really express it, the copula, as the examples shew, being in fact understood. Sts. in AV the pronoun is retained for emphasis, as Deuteronomy ll. cc.) So
  c. after אֲשֶׁר in an affirmative sentence, Gen 9:3 all creeping things אֲשֶׁר הוּאחַֿי which are living, Lev 11:39; Num 9:13; Num 14:8; Num 35:31 אֲשֶׁר הוּא רָשָׁע לָמוּת who is guilty of death, Deut 20:20; 1Sam 10:19; Hag 1:9 and elsewhere (On 2, compare Dr§ 199, with Obs.)

3. Where, however, the pron. follows the predicate, its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible: thus
  a. Gen 12:18 why didst thou not tell me כי אשׁתך הוא that she was thy wife ? Gen 20:13; Gen 21:13 כי זרעך הוא for he is thy seed, Gen 31:20 because he told him not כִּי בֹרֵחַ הוּא, Gen 37:3 + often (the opposite order rare and emphatic: Gen 24:65; Deut 4:6; Deut 30:20; Josh 10:2; 1Kgs 2:22; 1Kgs 3:4; 1Kgs 21:2; Hos 2:4; Ps 45:12).
  b. resuming the subject, Gen 31:16 all the wealth which God hath taken etc., לנו הוא ולבנינו it is ours and our children's, vGen 31:43 and all that thou seest, לי הוא it is mine (or, omitting the pronoun, as not required in our idiom, simply) is mine, Gen 41:26 חלום פרעה אחד הוא the dream of Pharaoh is one, Gen 48:5 (לי הם), Exod 3:5 for the place where on thou standest, אַדְמַת קֹדֶשׁ הוּא it is holy ground, Num 13:32; Num 21:26; Deut 1:17; Josh 5:15; Josh 6:19; Job 3:19 + often; Gen 23:15 ארץ ֗֗֗ מַההִֿוא, so Ps 39:5; Isa 41:22 (הֵנָּה); הֵמָּה .... אַתֶּם (unusual) Zeph 2:12. (In all such cases the predicate is not referred directly to the subject, but, the subject being made a casus pendens, it is resumed by the pronoun, and the predicate thus referred to it indirectly. By this means the sentence is lightened and relieved, especially if the subject consist of many words: in Gen 31:16 for instance, the direct form of predicate כִּי לָנוּ וּלְבָנֵינוּ כָּלהָֿעשֶׁר אֲשֶׁר הִצִּיל אֱלֹהִים מֵאָבִינוּ would have been heavy and inelegant.) So
  c. after אֲשֶׁר in a negative sentence, Gen 7:2; Gen 17:12 אֲשֶׁר לאֹ מִזַּרְעֲךָ הוּא which is not of thy seed, Num 17:5; Deut 17:5; 1Kgs 8:41 (compareהֵמָּה 3 c).
  d. peculiarly, as the subject of לֹא, Jer 5:12 לוֺא הוּא He is not; and as embracing its predicate in itself, Isa 18:2; Isa 18:7 a nation terrible מִןהֿוּא (= מַאֲשֶׁר הוּא) from (the time that) it was, Nah 2:9 מִימֵי הִיא from the days that (stative construct Ges«GKC:130»§ 130. 4) as it was, 2Kgs 7:7 they left the camp כַּאֲשֶׁר הִיא as it was (compare כַּאֲשֶׁר הֵמָּה v2Kgs 7:10). (On 3, compare Dr§ 198, with Obs.)

4. It anticipates (as it seems) the subject namely
  a. (rare) Song 6:9 אַהַת הִיא יוֺנָתִי תַמָּתִי one is she, my dove my perfect one, Lev 25:11; Ezek 11:15; Ezek 21:16; Lam 1:18 ׳צַדִּיק הוּא י (often so in Late Hebrew); EC Lam 6:10 וְנוֺדָע אֲשֶׁר הוּא אָדָם and that which he, even man, is, is known (De Now); compare 1Sam 6:19 מִקְרֶה הוּא הָיָה לָנוּ an accident is it, (that) hath befallen us. (compare הֵמָּה 4 a.)
  b. after pronouns — (α) 2Sam 7:28 אַתָּה הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים Thou art he — God, Ps 44:5 אתה הוא מלבי thou art he — my king, Isa 37:16; Isa 43:25 (אנכי), Isa 51:9; Isa 51:10; Isa 51:12; Isa 52:6; Jer 14:22; Jer 29:23 Kt +; compare Jer 49:12 וְאַתָּה הוּא נָקֹה תִנָּקֶה and art thou he (that) shall be unpunished ? (with change of person κατά σύνεσιν, compare Judg 13:11; 1Chr 21:17; Ezek 38:17.) So Ew§ 297 b Müll§ 499. But others, as GesThes Roo§ 563 DeIsa 37:16; Ps 44. 5, treat הוא as emphasizing the pronoun, 'Thou, he, art God' i.e. Thou and none else art God; 'Thou (emphatic) art my king.'. (β) מִי הוּא, followed by a participle or substantive Gen 27:33; Ps 24:10 מִי הוּא זֶה מֶלֶךְ הַכָּבוֺד who is he, then — the king of glory ? (according to others, as before, 'Who (emphatic), then, is the king of glory ?'); followed by a verb Isa 50:9 מִי הוּא יַרְשִׁיעֵנִי who is he (that) will condemn me ? (others 'Who (emphatic) will condemn me ?') Job 4:7; Job 13:19; Job 17:3; Job 41:2; Jer 30:21 (so with הֵנָּה Gen 21:29, הֵמָּה Zech 1:9; Zech 4:5). (γ) זֶההֿוּא 1Chr 22:1 EC 1Chr 1:17 (frequently in Late Hebrew, where the two words coalesce into one זֶהוּ) . On the analogous אֵלֶּה הֵם ֗֗֗ ), see הֵמָּה 4 b (γ). (compare Dr§ 200, 201)

5. As an emphatic predicate, of God, 'I am He,' i.e. I am He Who is (opposed to unreal gods, named in context, or to transitory world), the Unseen, yet Omni-present, and Self-consistent, Ruler of the world, Deut 32:39 אֲנִי אֲנִי הוּא I, I am he, and beside me there is no God, Isa 41:4 (see Che) Isa 43:10; Isa 43:13 even from to-day I am he, Isa 46:4; Isa 48:12; Ps 102:28 (see Che) thou art he, and thy years have no end (ᵐ5 usually ἐγώ εἰμι : in Psalms σὺ δὲ ὁ αὐτὸς εἶ). So also, according to many, Job 3:19, but is הוא a mere predicate of identity ? see rather 3b.

6. In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matter, etc.) —
  a. Josh 2:21 כְּדִבְרֵיכֶם כֶּןהֿוּא according to your words, so be it; Gen 42:14 הוא אשׁר דברתי that is what I said, Exod 16:23; Lev 10:3; 2Kgs 9:36; Job 8:19 הן הוא משׂושׂ דרכו lo that (what has just been described) is the joy of his way, Job 13:16; Job 15:9; Job 31:28; Prov 7:23; Eccl 2:1; Eccl 3:22; Eccl 9:9; Esth 9:1b; similarly the feminine הִיא, Judg 14:4 they knew not היא ׳כי מי that it was from ׳י, Num 14:41; Josh 10:13; Isa 14:24; Ps 77:10 חַלּוֺתִי הִיא it (this perplexity) is my sickness, Job 9:22; Prov 18:13; Jer 22:16; 2Chr 25:20; Eccl 3:13 reference to זאת Amos 7:6; Ps 118:23; Job 5:27, זִּה Eccl 2:24. (Where there is a predicate, the gender of this usually regulates the choice of m. or f.: hence הִוא Gen 34:14; Exod 8:15; Num 15:25 (Eccl 5:5) Deut 4:6 +.)
  b. affirming the presence or existence of something (rare) : 2Kgs 18:36 = Isa 36:21 כִּי מִצְוַת הַמֶּלֶךְ הִיא for it was the king's command, saying etc., 1Sam 20:33 (text dubious), Jer 50:15; Jer 50:25; Jer 51:6; Jer 51:11; Mic 2:3, perhaps Job 32:8. p. 241.
7. With the art. הַהוּא, הַהִיא, הָהֵ֫מָּה, הָהֵם, הָהֵ֫נָּה: so regularly when joined to a substantive defined itself by the article: Gen 2:12 הָאָרֶץ הַהִוא that land, Gen 19:35 ובלילה ההוא and in that night, Gen 21:22 בָּעֵת הַהִוא at that time, Deut 1:19 המדבר הגדול והנורא ההוא. Only four times does there occur the anomalous construction בַּלַּיְלָה הוּא Gen 19:33; Gen 30:16; Gen 32:23; 1Sam 19:10.


BDB2188 H1992 H2004 H3860 H3861

BDB2187 | BIBLICAL HEBREW | BDB2189

הֵ֫מָּה and הֵם (without appreciable distinction in usage, except probably in so far as the longer or shorter from was better adapted to the rhythm of particular sentences: on the whole הֵמָּה (alone) is somewhat more frequently than הֵם, הָהֵם on the contrary is said regularly, הָהֵמָּה occurring only 12 t., namely Num 9:7 (P), Jer 14:15; Zech 14:15, and in the phrase בַּ(הַ)מִָים הָהֵמָּה 2Kgs 18:4; Jer 3:16; Jer 3:18; Jer 5:18; Jer 50:4; Joel 3:2; Joel 4:1; Zech 8:23; Neh 13:15, though בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם is much more common) pronoun 3 plural masculine (הֵמָּה used incorrectly for the feminine Zech 5:10; Ruth 1:22; Song 6:8), feminine הֵ֫נָּה [Late Hebrew also הֵן, which occurs however in Biblical Hebrew only after a prefix: see below 8], pronoun 3 plural they (Biblical Aramaic הִמּוֺ, q. v.; , ; Ethiopic (one form) 'em¥n-t¥, em¹n-t¥; compare also for the dissyllabic form, the suffix -œm¥ [feminine -œn]; perhaps also Assyrian suffix šunu, šina [ni], compare references below הוּא). In usage not different in genl. from הוּא, הִיא (which see, under the corresponding headings, for fuller explanations), thus: —

1. a. Gen 6:4; Exod 5:7 הֵם יֵָֽלְכוּ let them (emphatic) go and gather straw, Num 31:16; Isa 24:14; Hos 4:14; Hos 7:3 etc.; after כִּי Jer 5:5; Jer 34:7. (For the use in circumstantial clauses see Dr§ 160, 169.)
  b. Judg 1:22 ויעלו ֗֗֗ גַם הֵם, Deut 2:11 (אַף הֵם), Deut 3:20; Josh 9:4; Ezek 30:17.
  c. Exod 18:22 every small matter יִשְׁפְּטוּהֵֿם let them judge themselves, vExod 18:26; Jer 15:19; Jer 17:18; Ps 109:28; Esth 9:1.
  d. Gen 33:6; Gen 44:3; Judg 6:5 etc.
  e. compare Neh 10:38.

2. a. (Resuming the subject with emphasis) Gen 14:24 (note accents), Deut 1:39; Ps 23:4; Ps 27:2 (accents), Ps 37:9; Ps 107:24; Ezek 36:7; Ezek 44:15.
  b. Isa 30:7; Ezek 27:13; Ezek 27:17; Ezek 27:21 compare Isa 44:11.
  c. Num 14:27 a Jer 27:9; Ezek 43:19 אֲשֶׁר הֵם מִזֶּרַע צָדוֺק, Eccl 4:2; Neh 2:13.
**הֵמָּה כִּדְוֵי לַחֻמִי Job 6:7 read perhaps ׳וַהֲמָה וגו (or זָָֽהֲמָה) it is loathesome (√ זהס).

3. a. Gen 3:7; Exod 5:8 כִּי נִרְפִּים הֵם for they are idle, Exod 14:3; Exod 15:23; Exod 29:33 etc. (the opposite order rare: Num 11:16; Isa 61:9, compare DePs 94:11).
  b. Gen 34:21; Gen 34:23; Gen 41:26; Gen 48:5 שׁני בניך ֗֗֗ לִי הֵם thy two sons . . ., they are mine, Exod 32:16 + often: Isa 41:22 הָרִאשֹׁנוֺת מָה הֵנָּה, Isa 49:21 אֵלֶּה אֵיפֹה הֵם these — where were they? Zeph 2:12 after אַתֶּם, peculiarly (compare Dr§ 198 Obs. 2).
  c. Deut 20:15 אֲשֶׁר לֹאמֵֿעָרֵי הַגֹּויִם הָאֵלֶּה הֵנָּה, Judg 19:12; 1Kgs 9:20.
  d. 2Kgs 7:10 כַּאֲשֶׁר הֵמָּה. (Prov 19:7 Kt לֹאהֵֿמָּה is probably corrupt: see Commentaries)

4. a. Prov 30:24 אַרְבָּעָה הֵם קְטַנֵּיאָֿ֑רֶץ four things are they, the little ones of the earth, vProv 30:29 (compare before a rel. clause vProv 30:15 vProv 30:18; Prov 6:16) Song 6:8; Isa 51:19 שְׁתַּיִם הֵנָּה קֹרְאֹתַיִךְ, 1Chr 9:26 (see הוא 4 a).
  b. (β) Gen 21:29 מָה הֵנָּה שֶׁבַע ֗֗֗ literally What are they — these seven sheep? Zech 1:9; Zech 4:5. (γ) אֵלֶּה ֗֗֗ הֵם Gen 25:16 (= 1Chr 1:36) Lev 23:2; Num 3:20; Num 3:21; Num 3:27; Num 3:33; 1Sam 4:8; 1Chr 8:6; 1Chr 12:15 (see Dr § 201, 3).

6. a. In a neuter sense (rare), Job 6:7 הֵמָּה כִּדְוֵי לַחמִי they (i.e. such sufferings as mine) are as loathsomeness in my meat, Jer 7:4 ׳הֵיכַל י הֵמָּה they (i.e. these buildings) are the temple of ׳י; and in the feminine, Lev 5:22 of all that a man doeth to sin בָּהֵנָּה therein, 1Chr 21:10 מֵהֵנָּה (|| 2Sam 24:12 מֵהֶם); 2Sam 12:8; Job 23:14 כָּהֵנָּה things such as these.

7. With art. הָהֵם, Gen 6:4; Exod 2:11; Num 14:38 + often; הָהֵמָּה 12 t. (see above); הָהֵנָּה 1Sam 17:28.


[Note]

N.B.Ezek 8:6 Kt מָהֵם stands for מָה הֵם (so Qr), compare מַזֶּה for מַהזֶּֿה Exod 4:2; 2Kgs 9:18 עַדהֵֿם is irregular for עֲדֵיהֶם; 2Sam 4:6 ׳וְהֵנָּה וג is textual error for ׳וְהִנֵּה שֹׁעֶרֶת הַבַּיִת סֹקְלָה חִטִּים וג see We Dr (ᵐ5 & RVm).

8. With preps. (in lieu of the normal, and more usual, forms with suffixes בָּהֶם, לָהֶם, מֵהֶם etc. [כָּהֶם & כָּהֶן, however, each once only, כְּמוֺהֶם thrice: see כְּ]) —
  a.בָּהֵמָּה Exod 30:4; Exod 36:1 (both P), Hab 1:16 כָּהֵמָּה Jer 36:32 לְהֵמָּה Jer 14:16 מֵהֵמָּה Jer 10:2; Eccl 12:12.
  b. כָּהֵם 2Sam 24:3 Yahweh add to the people כָּהֵם וְכָהֵם מֵאָה פְעָמִים the like of themselves and the like of themselves 100 times, = 1Chr 21:3 (but כָּהֵם here only once, compare Deut 1:11 בָּכֶם), 2Chr 9:11; Eccl 9:12.
  c. בָּהֵנָּה Lev 5:22 (P) Num 13:19 (JE) Jer 5:17: כָּהֵנָּה Gen 41:19; 2Sam 12:8 וְאֹסִפָה לְךָ כָּהֵנָּה וְכָהֵנָּה, Job 23:14: לָהֵנָּה Ezek 1:5; Ezek 1:23 (twice in verse); Ezek 42:9; Zech 5:9: מֵהֵנָּה Lev 4:2 (P) Isa 34:16; Jer 5:6; Ezek 16:51; Ezek 42:5; Ps 34:21; 1Chr 21:10 (|| 2Sam 24:12 מֵהֶם).
  d. בָּהֵן Gen 19:29 (P) Gen 30:26; Gen 30:37; Exod 25:29; Exod 37:16 (both P) Lev 10:1; Lev 11:21; Lev 14:40; Num 10:3; Num 16:7 (all P) Deut 28:52; Jer 4:29; Jer 48:9; Jer 51:43 (twice in verse) (בָּהֶן thrice only); כָּהֵן Ezek 18:14 (editions; Baer כָּהֶן); לָהֵן ( = therefore) Ruth 1:13 (twice in verse) (also Biblical Aramaic); מֵהֵן Ezek 16:47; Ezek 16:52 (editions; Baer מֵהֶן). With the exception of כָּחֵנָּה, these forms are found mostly in P and writers not earlier than Jeremiah; b and d, however, depend solely on the punctuation.)


BDB9475 H1994 H1992

BDB9474 | BIBLICAL ARAMAIC | BDB9476

הִמּוֺ9 (Ezra), הִמּוֺן3 (Daniel), pronoun 3 plural they, them (= Biblical Hebrew הֵם, הֵמָּה, q. v., but the more original forms. Egyptian Aramaic המו CIS145 B 4 (Cooke207),149 A 1, S-CPap. C 7, 10 +; not ᵑ7 Syriac, which use אִנּוּן , , instead; Arabic , . The n in הִמּוֺן, as in דֵּין, אִלֵּין, by the side of זֶה, אֵלֶּה, ; M 86 WCG 106); — they, them:
  a. as nominative Ezra 5:11 אֲבַחְנָא הִמּוֺ עַבְדוֺהִי we are his servants (construction as in Syriac, § 312 D Matt 5:13, K§ 87. 3).
  b. as accusative (in Biblical Aramaic, as in Syriac, there being no verbal suffix of 3 plural; so Egyptian Aramaic Cooke76 B 4, S-CPap. E 5 +), En 2:34 והדקת הִמּוֺ and crushed them, v35; 3:22; Ezra 4:10; Ezra 4:23; Ezra 5:5; Ezra 5:12; Ezra 5:14 (twice in verse); Ezra 5:15; Ezra 7:17. — compare אִנּוּן.

they, those, these, them, who, …
hēm
they (only used when emphatic)
  • they, these, the same, who

This book is chanted to the poetic accent system (used only in Job, Psalms, and Proverbs). Each group below ends at one of its pausing accents — translate a group as one unit.
צִנִּ֣ים פַּ֭חִים Dechi — a lesser break בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ עִקֵּ֑שׁ Atnach — the verse's main pause — take a breath here שׁוֹמֵ֥ר נַ֝פְשׁ֗וֹ Revia Mugrash — a lesser break יִרְחַ֥ק מֵהֶֽם Silluq — end of the verse

צִנִּים פַּחִים בְּדֶרֶךְ עִקֵּשׁ שׁוֹמֵר נַפְשׁוֹ יִרְחַק מֵהֶֽם׃
5
Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.
Cross References

Proverbs 16:17

מְסִלַּת יְשָׁרִים סוּר מֵרָע שֹׁמֵר נַפְשׁוֹ נֹצֵר דַּרְכּֽוֹ׃
17
The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.

1 John 5:18

Οἴδαμεν ὅτι πᾶς γεγεννημένος ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐχ ἁμαρτάνει ἀλλ' γεννηθεὶς ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ τηρεῖ ἐαυτὸν καὶ πονηρὸς οὐχ ἅπτεται αὐτοῦ
18
We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.

Jude 1:20

ὑμεῖς δέ ἀγαπητοί τῇ ἁγιωτάτῃ ὑμῶν πίστει ἐποικοδομοῦντες ἑαυτοὺς ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ προσευχόμενοι
20
But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

Proverbs 15:19

דֶּרֶךְ עָצֵל כִּמְשֻׂכַת חָדֶק וְאֹרַח יְשָׁרִים סְלֻלָֽה׃
19
The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain.

Job 18:8

כִּֽי-שֻׁלַּח בְּרֶשֶׁת בְּרַגְלָיו וְעַל-שְׂבָכָה יִתְהַלָּֽךְ׃
8
For he is cast into a net by his own feet, and he walketh upon a snare.

Proverbs 13:15

שֵֽׂכֶל-טוֹב יִתֶּן-חֵן וְדֶרֶךְ בֹּגְדִים אֵיתָֽן׃
15
Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard.

Proverbs 19:16

שֹׁמֵר מִצְוָה שֹׁמֵר נַפְשׁוֹ בּוֹזֵה דְרָכָיו ‫(יומת)‬ יָמֽוּת׃
16
He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul; but he that despiseth his ways shall die.

Psalms 18:26

עִם-נָבָר תִּתְבָּרָר וְעִם-עִקֵּשׁ תִּתְפַּתָּֽל׃
26
With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.

Proverbs 13:3

נֹצֵר פִּיו שֹׁמֵר נַפְשׁוֹ פֹּשֵׂק שְׂפָתָיו מְחִתָּה-לֽוֹ׃
3
He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.

Psalms 11:6

יַמְטֵר עַל-רְשָׁעִים פַּחִים אֵשׁ וְגָפְרִית וְרוּחַ זִלְעָפוֹת מְנָת כּוֹסָֽם׃
6
Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.

Joshua 23:13

יָדוֹעַ תֵּֽדְעוּ כִּי לֹא יוֹסִיף יְהוָה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם לְהוֹרִישׁ אֶת-הַגּוֹיִם הָאֵלֶּה מִלִּפְנֵיכֶם וְהָיוּ לָכֶם לְפַח וּלְמוֹקֵשׁ וּלְשֹׁטֵט בְּצִדֵּיכֶם וְלִצְנִנִים בְּעֵֽינֵיכֶם עַד-אֲבָדְכֶם מֵעַל הָֽאֲדָמָה הַטּוֹבָה הַזֹּאת אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לָכֶם יְהוָה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם׃
13
Know for a certainty that the LORD your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.

Psalms 91:1

יֹשֵׁב בְּסֵתֶר עֶלְיוֹן בְּצֵל שַׁדַּי יִתְלוֹנָֽן׃
1
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.