Biblical Hebrew Vocabulary Builder

Gary E. Schnittjer
Copyright © 2009

The lists herein present the terms occurring most often in the Hebrew Bible—more than one
hundred times. Numbers and proper nouns are presented elsewhere.

How does the Biblical Hebrew Vocabulary Builder fit with other such works? It does not
arrange the words based only on frequency of occurrence (contra first Pratico & Van Pelt list),
and does not present the words grouped according to root (contra Landes, second Pratico & Van
Pelt list). Moreover, there are not lists based on verb type or the like (contra Harper, fourth
Pratico & Van Pelt list). Rather, the words are grouped by basic grammatical function (so
Harper, Watts).1
The approach here is minimalist, with Hebrew and English on facing pages (like Watts).
The lists below differ from Watts in several ways: they are much shorter so they may be used as
memory assignments; the verb and noun lists alternate as noted below eliminated the need to flip
back and forth; the frequencies are based on BibleWorks; and the English glosses on BibleWorks
and HALOT.

What should the user know about the Vocabulary Builder? The first list is made up of
pronouns, prepositions, particles, and the like. The remaining odd number lists present nouns and
adjectives (marked as such), and the even verbs. Verb glosses refer to Qal root unless stated
otherwise. Noted when term occurs only or primarily in a stem other than Qal. The English
glosses are the most common only. In the case of two roots with the same letters a semi-colon
divides the definitions.

1
Full references can be found in the bibliography on the “Resources” tab of ScriptureWorkshop.com.
1 ScriptureWorkshop.com
one !he 4 they; behold
pronouns, prepositions, particles
B 1 in, at, by, with, against
hNEhi 5 lo! behold!

w 2 and, now, or, but

tazO 6 this, such

h; 3 the
hz< 7 this, these, such

K 4 like, as, according to, when

vyE 8 there is/are

l 5 to, for
yKi 9 that, because, for, when

v, 6 who, which, whose, whom

lKo 10 all, each, every, any

Aa 7 or
!Ke 11 thus, so

za' 8 then, at that time

al{ 12 no, not

yrex]a; 9 after, behind

hM'l' 13 what?

!yIa; 10 there is/are not

![;m;l. 14 in order that

%a; 11 surely, howbeit

daom. 15 very, force, abundance

la, 12 to, into, towards

!mi 16 from, out of, more than

la; 13 not, nothing

an" 17 I (we) pray, now

hL,ae 14 these
dA[ 18 still, yet, again, beside

~ai 15 if
d[; 19 as far as, until; forever

Wnx.n:a] 16 we
l[; 20 on, upon, above, over

ynIa] 17 I (ykinOa' 359X)

~[i 21 with

rv,a] 18 who, which, that

hT'[; 22 now

tae 19 with; definite object marker

%w<T' 23 midst

hT'a; 20 you (masc. sing.)

tx;T; 24 under, below, instead of

~T,a; 21 you (masc. pl.)

!yIB; 22 between three

nouns
yTil.Bi 23 not, except
!Be son, descendant 4932
d[;B; 24 away from, behind, about
~yhil{a/ God, gods 2600
~G: 25 even, also, moreover
%l,m, king, ruler, prince 2528

#r,a, earth, land, ground 2504

two ~Ay day, time 2300

pronouns, prepositions, particles
vyai human, each, humankind 2185
yDI 1 who, which, that, because
hn<P' front, face, surface 2126
aWh 2 he, it; that
tyIB; house, dwelling-place 2050
ayhi 3 she
~[; people, nation, tribe 1867

2 ScriptureWorkshop.com
 dy" hand 1617 xql take 966

rb'D' word, matter, thing 1442 [dy know 948

ba' father, ancestor 1210 hl[ go up (Q); bring up, offer

(Hif)
889

ry[i city, town 1092

arq call; meet, encounter 871
!yI[; spring; eye 890
xlv send 847
~ve name 881
twm die 842
hn"v' year 875
lka eat 816
~v' there 834

db,[, slave, servant 806

five
hV'ai woman, wife, female 781
nouns
vp,n< soul, living being, neck 754 ha'me hundred 580

!heKo priest 750 ~yIm; waters, water 580

dx'a, one, another 710 hKo here, now, thus 576

%r,D, way, road, journey, manner 706 ~d'a' human, humankind; Adam 562

xa' brother; ah!, alas!; firepot 632 ~he they, these, the same 562

varo head 612 rh; mountain, hill 558

ble heart, inner person, will 600 yAG nation, people 554

tB; daughter; bath 597 bAj good, pleasant (adj) 539

lAdG" great (adj) 523

four @l,a, thousand; cattle, ox 513

verbs lAq sound, voice 505

rma say 5309
hP, mouth 497
hyh be, become, is 3561
ab'c' army, war, warfare 485
hf[ do, make 2629
vd,qo apartness, sacredness 469
awb come (Q); bring (Hif) 2568
br; much, many, great (adj) 452
!tn give, set 2010
yn"doa] Lord 439
$lh walk, go 1547
~l'A[ for ever, antiquity 439
har see 1302
jP'v.mi judgment 421
[mv listen, hear 1159
rf; chief, ruler, official, prince 421
rb,DI speak (Piel) 1142
~yIm;v' heaven, sky 421
bvy sit,dwell 1077
br,x, sword 412
acy go out 1068
@a; yea; nostril, nose, anger 410
bwv turn, return 1059
@s,K, silver, money 403

3 ScriptureWorkshop.com
 x;Bez>mi altar 401 h['r' evil, misery 354

~Aqm' standing place, place 401 lh,ao tent 346

~y" sea 396 bybis' circuit, round about 336

bh'z" gold 389 !Ada' lord, master 334

#[e tree, trees, wood 329

six hd,f' field, land 328

verbs yliK. article, utensil, vessel 325

afn lift, carry 656
hm'x'l.mi battle, war 319
~wq arise, stand 627
aybin" prophet, spokesperson 316
~yf put, set 584
hx'P'v.mi clan, family 303
rb[ pass over 555
~x,l, bread, food 297
dm[ stand 522
t[e time 296
hkn smite, strike (Hif) 500
taJ'x; sin, sin offering 293
dly beget, sire (Hif); bear (Q) 495
hl'[o whole burnt offering; ascent 287
hW"ci command 493
tyrIB. covenant 284
rmv keep, watch 468
vd,xo new moon, month 284
acm find 455
h[or>P; Pharaoh 274
lpn fall 434
!aco flock, sheep 274
hn[ answer; be afflicted 413
!b,a, stone 271
dry go down 380
rf'B' flesh 270
hnb build 375
rB'd>mi wilderness; mouth 270
dgn (Hif) declare, tell (dyGIhi) 370

$lm be king, rule, reign 348

eight
$rb bless, kneel 330 verbs
ary fear 322 dqp attend, visit (Q); appoint
(Piel/Hif)
303

rws turn aside 298

seven qzx be strong 290

nouns
x;Wr breath, wind, spirit 378
db[ work, serve 289

vae fire 376

trk cut, destroy 288

~aun> utterance 376

bya be hostile to 283

r[;v; gate; measure 373

hyx live 280

~D' blood 360

brq approach (Q); bring near
(Hif)
280

4 ScriptureWorkshop.com
 alm be full, fill, fulfill 252 hm'd'a] ground, land 226

ajx sin (Q); cause to sin (Hif);

purify (Piel)
238 hl'x]n: possession, inheritance 224

rkz remember 232 d[eAm appointed time, place 223

vry possess, inherit 231 ~ae mother 220

vqb seek (vQeBi) 225 hr'AT teaching, instruction 220

hbr be many, great 225

btk write 223 ten

verbs
!wk fix, establish 218
bha love 215
htv drink 217
hjn stretch, incline 214
bz[ leave, abandon 216
lcn snatch, deliver (Hif) 213

@sy add, increase 212

nine
nouns
bkv lay 208

[v'r' wicked, guilty (adj) 263 hlk complete, finish, spent 207

dx;a, one, same, each 260 [vy deliver, save (Hif) 205

yx; alive, living (adj) 255 jpv judge 203

bb'le heart, inner person, will 252 @sa gather; assemble 200

hJ,m; staff, scepter, branch, tribe 252 ~wr be high 193

hM'a; cubit 250 lky be able 192

lae God, god 249 hlg uncover, reveal 187

ds,x, goodness, kindness 248 [bv swear (Nif) 186

lg<r, foot 245 dba perish (Q); destroy (Piel/Hf) 184

lyIx; strength, wealth, army 243 ~xl fight, battle (Nif) 177

lWbG> border, boundary, territory 241 hw"x]T;v.hi bow down [stem unclear] 176

r[;n: boy, lad, youth; shaking 240 h[r pasture, tend 175

~Alv' complete, welfare, peace 237 lav ask, borrow 173

hf,[]m; deed, work 235

hl'y>l; night 232 eleven

nouns
!wO[' iniquity, guilt, punishment 232
dg<B, garment; treachery 217
dB; separation; white linen;
empty, idle talk
231
hn<x]m; encampment, camp 215

[r;z< sowing, seed, offspring 229

rq,Bo morning 214

br,q, inward part, midst 227

%a'l.m; messenger, angel 213

5 ScriptureWorkshop.com
 hx'n>mi gift, tribute, offering 211 xmf rejoice 154

qyDIc; just, righteous (adj) 206 hsk conceal; cover 152

!Ara] chest, ark 202 txv spoil, ruin (Piel/Hif) 152

dAbK' abundance, honor, glory 200 [gn touch, strike 150

@K; flat of the hand, palm, sole 193 [sn pull up, set out 146

!m,v, fat, oil 193 anf hate 146

[;re friend; shouting; purpose 191 hnx decline, encamp 144

hm'heB. beast, animal, cattle 190 xtp open 144

rcex' enclosure, courtyard; village 190

jb,ve rod, staff, club, scepter, tribe 190

thirteen
!z<ao ear 187 nouns
lyIa; leader, chief; ram; terebinth 186 rAD generation, period, dwelling 174

rp,se document, writing, book 185 xb;z< sacrifice 174

rq'B' cattle, herd, ox 183 l[;m; unfaithful or treacherous act 169

!AvarI former, first (adj) 182 rxea; other, another (adj) 167

hw"c.mi commandment 181 hk'al'm. occupation, work 167

%l,m, king 180 l[;B; owner, lord; Baal 164

!qez" old (of persons only) (adj) 179 #Wx outside, street 164

hp'f' lip, speech, edge 176 xt;P, opening, doorway, entrance 164

hd'[e witness; congregation 175 rABGI strong, mighty (adj) 159

hq'd'c. righteousness 157

twelve
!Apc' north 154

verbs hm'k.x' wisdom 153

rxb choose 172 tw<m' death 152

vdq be set apart 171 dg<n< in front of, opposite to 151

!yb discern, understand 169 bro multitude, abundance 147

rbv break; buy grain 168 !ymiy" right hand 146

grh kill 167 hd'Ab[] labor, service 145

llh praise (Piel); be boastful (Q) 165 !yIy: wine 141

vrd seek, resort to 164 tv,xon> copper, bronze 140

amj become unclean 162 !K'v.mi dwelling place, tabernacle 139

bbs surround 162 lx;n: torrent, torrent-valley, wadi 139

swn flee, escape 158 sWs horse 139

6 ScriptureWorkshop.com
 ~yYIx; life 138 ~c,[, bone, substance, self 129

~k'x' wise (adj) 138 tm,a/ truth, faithfulness 127

x;Ko strength, power 126

fourteen
verbs hm'xe heat, rage 125

llx pollute, profane; begin 143 ycix] half 125

@dr pursue 143 lh'q' assembly, congregation 123

xwn rest 141 rAa light 120

xbz slaughter; sacrifice 134 rAkB. first-born 120

ayfin" rising mist; one lifted up 134 bk,r, chariot, millstone 120

hnp turn 134 rv'y" straight, right (adj) 119

rbq bury 133 rh'n" stream, river 119

rav remain 133 yrIP. fruit 119

!kv settle, dwell 129 qd,c, rightness, righteousness 119

vwb be ashamed 127 ~[;P; foot, anvil, occurrence 118

#bq gather, collect 127 !Avl' tongue 117

vgn draw near 125 hk'l'm.m; kingdom, dominion, reign 117

$lv throw, cast (Hif) 125

bvx think, devise, scheme 124 sixteen

ldg be great, grow 121 verbs
dkl capture 121
bjy be good 117

xjb trust 120

~lv complete (Q/Hif); repay
(Piel); be at peace
116

@rf burn 118 $pv pour out 115

hkb weep 114

fifteen lag redeem; pollute 114

nouns hdy praise (Hif) 114

br,[, evening 136
abn prophesy 114
aSeKi throne, seat of honor 135
rjq make sacrifices 114
rP's.mi number, quantity 135
dbk be heavy (Q); make heavy 113
vm,v, sun 134
(Hif); honor (Piel)

hm'Ax wall 133

vbl put on, clothe 111

!P, lest, not 133

~xn be sorry (Nf); comfort (Piel) 108

rP; young bull, steer 133

rps count (Q); recount (Piel) 107

qxo statute 130

!ma be firm (Nif); believe (Hif) 106

7 ScriptureWorkshop.com
 rty be left, remain (Nif) 106 rt,y< cord; remainder, excess 111

[[r be bad; break 105 dWM[; pillar, column 111

#wr run 103 tB'v; sabbath 111

rpk cover, atone 102 bg<n< south country, Negev, south 110

xkv forget 102 rp'[' dry earth, dust 110

hY"x; living thing, animal 109

seventeen @n"K' wing, extremity 109

nouns fb,K, lamb 107

hb'[eAT abomination 117
hQ'xu statute 104
vAdq' sacred, holy (adj) 116
dymiT' continuity 104
tAxa' sister 114
hm'B' high place 103
h['b.GI hill 114
ha,r>m; sight, appearance, vision 103
vr'g>mi common land, open land 114
j[;m. little, few 101
rq,v, deception, falsehood 113
bx;ro breadth, width 101
rc; narrow; flint; distress; foe 112
b['r' famine, hunger 101
qr; thin, only, altogether, surely 112

rAmx] donkey 111

8 ScriptureWorkshop.com