כָּרַת
kârath · H3772 · Hebrew · 288 occurrences
Meanings
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to cut, to cut off, to cut down
Causative action by which humans use a knife or another sharp implement to remove something from a larger object
ExamplesExodus 4:25 So Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son’s foreskin and threw it at Moses’ feet; and she said, “You are indeed a groom of blood to me!”
Exodus 34:13 “But rather, you are to tear down their altars and smash their memorial stones, and cut down their Asherim
Leviticus 22:24 ‘Also anything with its testicles squashed, crushed, torn off, or cut off, you shall not offer to the LORD, nor sacrifice in your land,
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to cut in two
Causative action by which humans use a knife or another sharp implement to cut an object into two parts of a more or less equal size
ExamplesJeremiah 34:18 ‘I will give the people who have violated My covenant, who have not fulfilled the words of the covenant which they made before Me, when they cut the calf in two and passed between its parts—
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to make a covenant, to make a treaty
Literally: to cut (a covenant); hence: action by which two or more parties make a solemn agreement, accompanied by stipulations, blessings, and curses
ExamplesGenesis 15:18 On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I have given this land, From the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates:
Genesis 21:27 So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two of them made a covenant.
Genesis 21:32 So they made a covenant at Beersheba; and Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, got up and returned to the land of the Philistines.
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to destroy, to kill, to exterminate
Literally: to cut off (people); hence: causative action by which humans and deities cause (other) humans to die a violent death
ExamplesGenesis 9:11 “I establish My covenant with you; and all flesh shall never again be eliminated by the waters of a flood, nor shall there again be a flood to destroy the earth.”
Genesis 41:36 “Let the food be used as a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which will occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land will not perish during the famine.”
Leviticus 26:22 ‘I will also let loose among you the animals of the field, which will deprive you of your children and eliminate your cattle, and reduce your number so that your roads become deserted.
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to cut off
Literally: to cut off; hence: causative action by someone humans are no longer considered members of their community and are to be banished
ExamplesGenesis 17:14 “But as for an uncircumcised male, one who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.”
Exodus 12:15 ‘For seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, but on the first day you shall remove dough with yeast from your houses; for whoever eats anything with yeast from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel.
Exodus 12:19 ‘For seven days there shall be no dough with yeast found in your houses; for whoever eats anything with yeast, that person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a stranger or a native of the land.
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to be cut off, to be lacking
Literally: to be cut off; hence: process by which a certain category of people stops existing within a particular group
ExamplesJoshua 9:23 “Now therefore, you are cursed, and you will never cease to be slaves, both gatherers of firewood and labor to draw water for the house of my God.”
2 Samuel 3:29 “May it turn upon the head of Joab and on all his father’s house; and may there not be eliminated from the house of Joab someone who suffers a discharge, or has leprosy, or holds the spindle, or falls by the sword, or lacks bread.”
1 Kings 2:4 so that the LORD may fulfill His promise which He spoke regarding me, saying, ‘If your sons are careful about their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and all their soul, you shall not be deprived of a man to occupy the throne of Israel.’
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to cut off, to remove
Literally: to cut off; hence: causative process by which a certain category of people or animals are removed from a particular group
Examples1 Samuel 2:33 ‘Yet I will not cut off every man of yours from My altar, so that your eyes will fail from weeping and your soul grieve, and all the increase of your house will die in the prime of life.
1 Samuel 20:15 “And you shall never cut off your loyalty to my house, not even when the LORD cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.”
1 Kings 9:7 then I will cut Israel off from the land which I have given them, and the house which I have consecrated for My name, I will expel from My sight. So Israel will become a saying and an object of derision among all peoples.
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to end
Literally: to cut off (an event); hence: causative action by which humans or deities cause an event to stop happening
ExamplesJoshua 3:13 “And it will come about when the soles of the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan will be cut off, that is, the waters which are flowing down from above; and they will stand in one heap.”
Joshua 3:16 then the waters which were flowing down from above stood and rose up in one heap, a great distance away at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan; and those which were flowing down toward the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. So the people crossed opposite Jericho.
Joshua 4:7 then you shall say to them, ‘That the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off.’ So these stones shall become a memorial to the sons of Israel forever.”
How it’s used In 8 roles
Every occurrence, grouped by the words it is grammatically related to.
the word studied the word it goes with
Who or what does itSubject
283 occurrences in 67 groups
- Not stated: I 62
- Not stated: he, she or it 45
- Not stated (infinitive) 25
- Not stated: they 17
- נֶפֶשׁsoul, life 16
- יְהֹוָהthe LORD, YHWH 15
- Other words · 54 groups that occur once or twice (65) 65
What it acts on, or what is saidObject
171 occurrences in 87 groups
- בְּרִיתcovenant, treaty 60
- וֹhim 9
- אָדָםhuman, humankind, human being(s) 7
- בְּהֵמָהanimal, livestock 7
- אֲשֵׁרָהAsherah 5
- גּוֹיnation, people 4
- Other words · 75 groups that occur once or twice (94) 94
With prepositionsPrepositional phrases
189 occurrences in 109 groups
- מִןfrom+ עַםpeople 12
- מִןfrom+ קֶרֶבmidst, among, inner parts 12
- לto/for+ הֶםthem 11
- מִןfrom+ אֶרֶץland, earth, ground 8
- לto/for+ פָּנִיםface, presence, before 7
- לto/for+ ךָּyou 7
- Other words · 86 groups that occur once or twice (106) 106
With adverbsAdverbs
32 occurrences in 4 groups
- לֹאnot 29
- אַלnot, do not 2
- טֶרֶםbefore 1
- עוֹדstill, again, yet 1
Whose, or of whatGenitive or possessive
2 occurrences in 2 groups
- עֵץtree, wood 1
- שׇׁפְכָהpenis 1
What it doesIt is the subject
2 occurrences in 2 groups
- עָלָהto go up 1
- בּוֹאto come, to go in, to bring 1
What is done to itIt is the object
6 occurrences in 2 groups
- אָמַרto say 5
- קָרַבto come near, to offer 1
After prepositionsPrepositional phrases
22 occurrences in 4 groups
- לto/for 16
- אַחַרafter, behind 3
- בin/on/with 3
- כlike/as 1
When two words share a role, as in “Paul and Barnabas said”, the verse appears under each, so a section’s counts can add up to more than the number of occurrences.
MACULA Greek Linguistic Datasets, available at https://github.com/Clear-Bible/macula-greek/, licensed CC BY 4.0; MACULA Hebrew Linguistic Datasets © 2022-2024 by Biblica, Inc., CC BY 4.0. Westminster Leningrad Codex (tanach.us). OpenScriptures Hebrew Bible morphology (hb.openscriptures.org), CC BY 4.0.
Near synonyms 1 word
- בָּדַל bâdal · H914 · to separate, to sever, to separate oneself
- The target term means to cut or sever, and בָּדַל (bâdal, H914) means to divide or separate; both denote acts of separation, physical or abstract. Their dominant Greek renderings in the Septuagint differ.
In the other Testament 4 words
- διατίθεμαι diatíthemai · G1303 · to make a will, to make a covenant, to covenant together
- Greek διατίθεμαι specifically emphasizes the act of establishing or arranging a covenant/compact (the relational-legal framework), while Hebrew כָּרַת encompasses both the covenantal establishing sense and the literal physical cutting action that often accompanied ancient covenant-making rituals.
- ἐξολοθρεύω exolothreúō · G1842 · to destroy, to destroy and remove
- ἐξολοθρεύω consistently renders the 'destroy/cut off' sense of כָּרַת in judgment/covenant-breach contexts, particularly in prophetic and legal texts where the root's destructive rather than covenant-making semantic is foregrounded (e.g., Exodus 31:14, Leviticus 17:10 LXX).
- ἐκκόπτω ekkóptō · G1581 · to cut down, to cut off, to cut in two
- Greek ἐκκόπτω specifically denotes cutting out/off with emphasis on removal or destruction (exscind, frustrate), corresponding to the destructive/cutting-off senses of Hebrew כָּרַת (cut down/off, destroy, perish) but not its covenant-making idiom (cut covenant) or confederate senses.
- ἀποκόπτω apokóptō · G609 · to cut down, to cut off, to cut in two
- ἀποκόπτω (apokóptō, G609) ἀποκόπτω specifically denotes physical amputation or cutting off (reflexively: mutilate the privy parts), representing the literal 'cut off' sense within כָּרַת (kârath, H3772) כָּרַת's broader semantic range that includes covenant-making idioms, destruction, and general cutting actions.
Semantic domains 6 entries
- Non-Whole002003001021
- This word's basic sense is to cut off or cut down, severing something so it is no longer whole, so it belongs among words for something rendered incomplete.
- Associate002003002002
- The same word is the standing idiom for making a covenant or league ("to cut a covenant"), an act that forms a bond of association between parties.
- Dead002001001018
- The word is also used of being cut off in death or destroyed, an extension of "cutting off" into the ending of life.
- Dissociate002003002009
- The word describes being cut off from one's people or from the land, severing a relationship or belonging, so it also belongs among words for separation.
- Non-Exist002002002006
- The word is used of a line, name, or people being utterly cut off so that it ceases to exist, an extension into complete annihilation.
- End002003003010
- The word's basic "cutting off" sense inherently marks the bringing of something to an end, so it also belongs among words for ending.
Word family 4 words
Words formed from the same root. They share a form, not always a meaning.
Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon H3772. karath כָּרַת291 verb cut off, cut down (Late Hebrew id.; Assyrian karâtu, II. hew…
כָּרַת291 verb cut off, cut down (Late Hebrew id.; Assyrian karâtu, II. hew off DlHWB 357); —
Qal Perfect ׳כ Gen 15:18-19t.; 2 masculine singular כָּרָ֑תָּ Deu 20:20; Deu 20:1singular כָּרַתִּי Exo 34:27 Exo 34:15t.; + 8 t. Perfect; Imperfect יִכְרֹת Job 40:28 Job 40:21t.; 2 masculine singular תִּכְרָתֿ Isa 57:8; Isa 57:1singular אֶכְרוֺת Isa 61:8; 1Sa 11:2; אֶכְרְתָה Isa 55:3; Isa 55:3masculine plural יִכְרֹ֑תוּ Hos 12:2; Psa 83:6; Psa 83:1plural נִכְרְתָה Gen 26:28; Gen 31:44; suffix נִכְרְתֶנּוּ Jer 11:19; 31t. Imperfect Imperative כְּרָתֿ 1Sa 11:1; כָּרְתָה 2Sa 3:12; 2Sa 3:4t. Imperative; Infinitive absolute כָּרֹת Hos 10:4; כָּרוֺת Neh 9:8; construct כְּרֹת Jer 34:8 Jer 34:2t.; כְּרָתֿ Isa 44:14 Isa 44:2t.; כְּרוֺת2Ch 2:7; 2Ch 29:10; suffix כָּרְתִי 1Sa 24:12; Participle active כֹּרֵת Exo 34:10 Exo 34:3t.; + 3 t. Participle active passive כָּרוּת Lev 22:24; construct כְּרוּת Deu 23:2; plural ת[וֺ]כְּרֻת 1Ki 7:12 1Ki 7:3t.; —
1 cut off :
a. things: with accusative foreskin Exo 4:25 (J); privy member Lev 22:24 (H) Deu 23:2; cluster of grapes Num 13:23-24, (E); bough of tree Jdg 9:48-49, skirt 1Sa 24:5; 1Sa 24:6; 1Sa 24:12; head of man 1Sa 17:51; 1Sa 31:9; 2Sa 20:22; garments 2Sa 10:4 = 1Ch 19:4; palms of hands 1Sa 5:4; sprigs Isa 18:5.
b. persons, with accusative of person מִן location Jer 11:19; Jer 50:16.
2 cut down, with accusative tress Deu 19:5; Deu 20:19-20, 2Ki 19:23 = Isa 37:24; Isa 44:14; Jer 6:6; Jer 10:3; Jer 22:7; Jer 46:23; Eze 31:12; asherim Exo 34:13 (J) Jdg 6:25-26, Jdg 6:30; 1Ki 15:13 2Ch 15:16; 2Ki 18:4; 2Ki 23:14
3 hew, timber 1 Kings 5:20 (twice in verse) = 2Ch 2:7; 2Ch 2:15; Isa 14:8; הָעֵצִים כֹּרְתֵי hewers of timber2Ch 2:9; כְּרֻת(וֺ)ת hewn beams 1Ki 6:36; 1Ki 7:2, 1Ki 7:12;
4 ׳כ בְּרִית cut, or make a covenant (because of the cutting up and distribution of the flesh of the victim for eating in the sacrifice of the covenants, see בְּרִית); כ אֲשֶׁר ׳הָעֵגֶל the calf which they cut Jer 34:18 (referring to Gen 15:10); עֲלֵיזֶֿבַח Psa 50:5; absolute Gen 21:27, Gen 21:32; Gen 31:44 (E) 1Sa 18:3; 1 Kings 5:26; Hos 10:4; with אֶת with Gen 15:18; Exo 34:27; Deu 31:16 (J) Deu 5:3; Deuteronomy 28:69 (twice in verse); Deu 29:13; 2Sa 3:12-13, 2Sa 3:21; 2Ki 17:15, 2Ki 17:35, 2Ki 17:38; Isa 28:15; Jer 11:10; Jer 31:31-32, Jer 31:33; Jer 34:8, Jer 34:13; Eze 17:13; Zec 11:10; Psa 105:9 = 1Ch 16:16; with עִם Gen 26:28 (J) Exo 24:8 (E) Deu 4:23; Deu 5:2; Deu 9:9; Deu 29:11; Deu 29:24; 1Ki 8:21 2Ch 6:11; 2Ch 23:3; Neh 9:8; Hos 2:20; Hos 12:2; Job 40:28; ׳בְּ omitted 1Sa 20:16; 1Sa 22:8; 1Ki 8:9 2Ch 5:10; with לְ Exo 23:32; Exo 34:12, Exo 34:15; Jos 9:6-7, Jos 9:11, Jos 9:15, Jos 9:16; Jos 24:25 (JE) Deu 7:2; Jdg 2:2; 1Sa 11:1; 2Sa 5:3; 1Ki 20:34; 2Ki 11:4; 1Ch 11:3; 2Ch 21:7; 2Ch 29:10; Ezr 10:3; Isa 55:3; Isa 61:8; Jer 32:40; Eze 34:25; Eze 37:26; Job 31:1; Psa 89:4; ׳בְּ omitted 1Sa 11:2; 2Ch 7:18; נֶגֶד Exo 34:10 (J); לִפְנֵי 1Sa 23:18; 2Ki 23:3 2Ch 34:31; Jer 34:15, Jer 34:18; וּבֵין בֵּין 2Ki 11:17; 2Ch 23:16; with עַל against, Psa 83:6; אֲמָנָה is used for ברית Neh 10:1; and דָּבָר Hag 2:5.
Note. — מֵהֶם וַתִּכְרָתלָֿךְ Isa 57:8 is usually rendered as RV made for thee a covenant with them, with ellipsis of ׳בּ as above. But מִן is not used in such a construction. The clause is commonly regarded as corrupt by recent critics. Gr emends עִמָּהֶם for מֵהֶם, this is easiest and gives the usual construction; Du followed by Buhl, reads וַתִּכְרִי after Hos 3:2.
Niph`al Perfect3masculine singular נִכְרַת Joe 1:5 Joe 1:5t.; נִכְרָ֑ת Joe 1:16 Joe 1:2t.; 3 feminine singular נִכְרְתָה Gen 17:14 Gen 17:16t.; נִכְרָ֑תָה Psa 37:38; Psa 37:2masculine singular נִכְרַתָּ Obadiah 10; 8t. Perfect; Imperfect יִכָרֵת Gen 9:11 Gen 9:21t.; יִכָּֽרֶתֿ Obadiah 9; 3masculine plural יִכָּֽרְתוּ Zec 13:8; יִכָּרֵת֑וּן Jos 3:13; Psa 37:9; Psa 37:9t. Imperfect; Infinitive הִכָּרֵת Num 15:31; Psa 37:34. —
1 be cut off:
a. of things, forward tongue Pro 10:31; burden from a nail Isa 22:25; chariots Zec 9:10; dwelling Zep 3:7.
b. of persons, the people of the land by a famine (בְּ) Gen 41:36 (E); all flesh by waters of deluge (מִמֵּי) Gen 9:11 (P); the anointed Dan 9:26; enemies Isa 11:13; Mic 5:8; the wicked Isa 29:20; Hos 8:4; Nah 2:1; Psa 37:9; Psa 37:22; Psa 37:28; Psa 37:34; Psa 37:38; Pro 2:22; others Obadiah 9, 10; Zep 1:11; Zec 13:8; Zec 14:2.
c. in the technical phrases of H and P ההיא הַנֶּפֶשׁ וְנִכְרְתָה that person shall be cut off (by death penalty) מֵעַמֶּיהָ Gen 17:14; Lev 7:20-21, Lev 7:25, Lev 7:27; Num 9:13; Lev 19:8; מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל Exo 12:15; Num 19:13; יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵעֲדַת Exo 12:19; עַמֶּיהָ מִקֶּרֶב Exo 31:14; Num 15:30; (עַמָּהּ); מִלְּפָנַי Lev 22:3; הַקָּהָל מִתּוֺךְ Num 19:20; similarly with variation of subject Exo 30:33, Exo 30:38; Lev 17:4, Lev 17:9; Lev 18:29; Lev 20:18; Lev 23:29, and with omission of word with מִן Lev 17:14; Lev 20:17; Num 15:31 (twice in verse).
2 be cut down, a tree Job 14:7.
3 be chewed between the teeth Num 11:33 (J).
4 be cut off, in a more General sense, fail: of waters Jos 3:13, Jos 3:16 (JE) Jos 4:7 (twice in verse) (D); new wine Joe 1:5; meat Joe 1:16; hope Pro 23:18; Pro 24:14; a name Isa 48:19; Isa 56:5; Rth 4:10; a sign Isa 55:13; faithfulness Jer 7:28; לְ יִכָּרֵת ׳לֹא אִישׁ there shall not fail thee a man 1Ki 2:4; 1Ki 8:25 2Ch 6:16; 1Ki 9:5 2Ch 7:18; Jer 33:17-18, Jer 35:19; מן יכרת לא there shall not fail of Jos 9:23 (J) 2Sa 3:29.
Pual Perfect כָּרַּת Eze 16:4; Eze 16:3feminine singular כֹּרָ֑תָה Jdg 6:28; —
1 be cut off, navel string Eze 16:4.
2 be cut down, Asherah Jdg 6:28.
Hiph`il Perfect הִכְרִית 1Sa 28:9; 1Ki 11:16; 1Ki 11:3feminine singular הִכְרִיתָה Lev 26:22; Lev 26:1singular הִכְרַתִּי Jos 23:4 32t.; + 4 t. Perfect; Imperfect יַכְרִית Deu 12:29 Deu 12:2t.; jussive יַכְרֵת Psa 12:4 Psa 12:4t.; 1 singular וָאַכְרִ֫תָה 2Sa 7:9; 2Sa 7:1plural suffix וְנַכְרִיתֶנָּה Jer 48:2; Jer 48:9t. Imperfect; Infinitive הַכְרִית Jer 44:8 Jer 44:15t.; הַכְרִת 1Sa 20:15; + suffix 2t. —
1 cut off, flattering lips Psa 12:4.
2 cut off, destroy the life of:
a. animals with accusative, cattle Lev 26:22 (H); with accusative and מִן frogs Exo 8:5 (J); horses Mic 5:9; Zec 9:10.
b. of men abs. Psa 109:13, by men, with accusative enemies Jdg 4:24; 1Sa 24:22; 1Ki 11:16; 1Ki 14:14; 1Ki 18:4; 2Ch 22:7; Isa 10:7; Eze 17:17; Obadiah 14; with accusative and מִן enemies Jos 11:21; Jer 48:2; the wicked Psa 101:8; a clan Num 4:18 (P); young men by death Jer 9:20; people by the sword Nah 3:15; necromancers 1Sa 28:9; the name Jos 7:9.
c. of men, by God with accucusative. (הַ)גּוֺיִם Deu 19:1; Jos 23:4 (D) Zep 3:6; various persons and things Isa 48:9; Jer 44:11; Jer 51:62; Eze 25:16; Eze 30:15; Zec 9:6; with accusative and מִן Eze 25:7; Amo 1:5, Amo 1:8; Amo 2:3; מֵאֶרֶץ Nahum 2 :14; Psa 34:17 = Psa 109:15; מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל Isa 9:13; מִיַּד Mic 5:11; מִמָּנֶיךָ Deu 12:29; 2Sa 7:9 = 1Ch 17:8; הָאֲדָמָה מְּנֵי מֵעַל 1Sa 20:15; 1Ki 9:7; Zep 1:3; עַמּוֺ מִקֶּרֶב Lev 17:10; Lev 20:3, Lev 20:5, Lev 20:6 (H); עַמִּי מִתּוֺךְ Eze 14:8; Ezekiel says also וּבְהֵמָה אָ֗֗֗דָם ׳הכ מִן Eze 14:13, Eze 14:17, Eze 14:19, Eze 14:21; Eze 25:13; Eze 29:8; ורשׁע צדיק Eze 21:8; Eze 21:9; ושׁב עבר Eze 35:7; with accusative and לְ cutt off, to, or from Isa 14:22; Jer 44:7-8, Jer 47:4; ׳כ ׳לְ בְּקִיר מַשְׁתִּין 1Ki 14:10; 1Ki 21:21; 2Ki 9:8; ׳כ ׳ל מזבח מעם 1Sa 2:33; י ׳יַכְרֵת יַעֲקֹב מֵאָֽהֳלֵי לָאִישׁ Mal 2:12 may Yahweh cut off to the man — from the tents of Jacob.
3 cut down, destroy, cities Mic 5:10, sun-pillars Lev 26:30 (H); and other things used in idolartry Nah 1:14; Zep 1:4; הארץ מן Zec 13:2; מִקֶּרֶב Mic 5:12.
4 take away, מֵעִם חֶסֶד kindness from 1Sa 20:15.
5 permit to perish, מֵהַבְּהֵמָה (some) of the cattle 1Ki 18:5.
Hoph`al Perfect י מִבֵּית וָנֶסֶךְ מִנְחָה ׳הָכְרַת Joe 1:9.
Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), public domain
Topical studies with this word 6 entries
Meanings adapted from the UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament, © United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0 and the UBS Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew (from the Semantic Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew), © United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0; MACULA Greek Linguistic Datasets, available at https://github.com/Clear-Bible/macula-greek/, licensed CC BY 4.0; MACULA Hebrew Linguistic Datasets © 2022-2024 by Biblica, Inc., CC BY 4.0. Westminster Leningrad Codex (tanach.us). OpenScriptures Hebrew Bible morphology (hb.openscriptures.org), CC BY 4.0.
Sources
eRhema lexical overview, based on the UBS Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew and the UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament (© United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Macula Hebrew and Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0); released under CC BY-SA 4.0
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