Bible dictionary: words in context
This Bible dictionary explains selected words through source entries and actual passages. An English term may represent more than one Hebrew or Greek word.
Last updated October 15, 2026
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This Bible dictionary explains selected words through source entries and actual passages. An English term may represent more than one Hebrew or Greek word. A source word may also have several senses. Use the term and passage together, rather than treating a list of glosses as one definition that fits every verse.
A lemma is a dictionary headword. Its entry describes a range of use; a passage narrows that range. The reference below links each term to checked original Strong entries and selected edition wording. It includes old English forms, Hebrew terms and prayer language. It is a selected dictionary, with the complete released list shown here even without JavaScript.
Bible dictionary: browse words
| Term | Lookup forms | Question and sense | Example passages | Historical source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hesed | hesed / chesed | Kindness and mercy; compare the divine proclamation with Ruth's human action. | Exodus 34:6-7; Ruth 3:10; Psalm 136:1 | Strong original Hebrew |
| Atonement | kaphar; hilasterion; katallage | Ritual cleansing and restored relation need distinct source-term checks. | Leviticus 16; Romans 3:25; Romans 5:11 | Strong original Hebrew/Greek |
| Begat | yalad; gennao | An older past verb in a parent-to-child sequence; not a personal name. | Genesis 5:3-5; Matthew 1:1-17 | Strong original Hebrew/Greek |
| Bible | biblos; biblion | Books language in a collection title; distinguish word history from an English initials mnemonic. | Strong G975/G976; Easton Bible | Strong original Greek |
| Covenant | berith / briyth / brit | A compact whose parties, commitments and sign belong to its particular speech or event. | Genesis 15:18; Exodus 24:7-8; Jeremiah 31:31-34 | Strong original Hebrew |
| Faith | emunah; pistis | Trust and faithfulness language; Hebrews adds examples of action and endurance. | Habakkuk 2:4; Hebrews 11:1-6; Romans 4:1-5 | Strong original Hebrew/Greek |
| Grace | chen; charis | Favor wording in Hebrew passages, with a separate Greek comparison in Ephesians. | Genesis 6:8; Exodus 33:12-17; Ephesians 2:8-10 | Strong original Hebrew/Greek |
| Holy | qadosh / qadowsh; qodesh; hagios | Sacredness with a subject: a person's conduct, a place and a vessel need different explanations. | Leviticus 19:1-2; Isaiah 6:1-5; 1 Peter 1:15-16 | Strong original Hebrew/Greek |
| Love | ahab; agape; phileo | Affection and allegiance with stated objects and conduct; avoid an automatic Greek-word hierarchy. | Deuteronomy 6:4-5; John 21:15-17; 1 Corinthians 13 | Strong original Hebrew/Greek |
| Ruach | ruach / ruwach | A range covering physical wind, life breath and spirit; local verbs help narrow it. | Genesis 1:2; Genesis 8:1; Ezekiel 37:1-14 | Strong original Hebrew |
| Elohim | elohim / elohiym | A plural form with differing referents; the surrounding grammar matters. | Genesis 1:1; Exodus 7:1; Psalm 82:1,6 | Strong original Hebrew |
| Ruach Elohim | ruach; elohim | A phrase relation, especially in creation and Pharaoh's assessment of Joseph. | Genesis 1:1-3; Genesis 41:38 | Strong original Hebrew |
| Shema | shama / shema, hear | The hear command and the prayer named through its opening word are distinct reference uses. | Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Deuteronomy 11:13-21; Numbers 15:37-41 | Strong original Hebrew |
| Yahweh | YHWH / Yahweh, historical entry Yhovah | The divine name, its English vocalized forms and edition replacement conventions. | Exodus 3:13-15; Exodus 6:2-3; Psalm 83:18 | Strong original Hebrew |
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How this Bible dictionary handles a sense
Start with the source term, then ask what the sentence does with it. Ruach can concern wind over the earth or breath in a vision. The wind dries floodwaters in Genesis 8. The bones scene in Ezekiel uses breath and wind in a different way. An English preference for spirit cannot decide both passages in advance.
A source entry is a range, rather than a promise that every gloss appears in every occurrence. Elohim illustrates the point. Its form and possible uses do not identify the referent in a sentence without grammar and context. Genesis and Psalm 82 therefore need separate explanations even though a dictionary lookup begins with the same headword.
Keep languages distinct. Chen and charis can both appear in discussions of grace, yet one is a Hebrew entry and the other a Greek entry. A comparison can be useful without claiming they are interchangeable. A theological explanation must show the passages that support it, rather than rely on an English word shared by two translations.
Old English wording and modern assumptions
Begat is an older past form of beget. Read the parent-to-child direction before continuing through a genealogy. Charity in the KJV of 1 Corinthians 13 is another word that can be narrowed too far by a modern reader. The chapter describes conduct, so a definition restricted to money donations would miss its point.
Likewise, the KJV atonement in Romans 5:11 stands where the other selected editions say reconciliation. The English word can lead a reader to assume the same source term as a ritual passage. Comparing the actual entries prevents that leap. The passage, its language and its argument each contribute evidence.
Entry IDs and limits
The word pages show verified entry IDs where used, with the original Strong Hebrew module as a named historical source. A Strong number is a reference key, not an independent proof of meaning or a complete account of grammar. The historical entries retain their own spellings and theological language. Their presence does not make every claim in them a current scholarly consensus.
No occurrence totals are inferred from these selected examples. A claim about all uses would need a defined corpus and a repeatable search. The selected passages demonstrate uses; they do not pretend to be an exhaustive concordance.
FAQ
Is this a dictionary of every Bible word?
It is a selected set of explained terms. The list above names its current scope. Each explanation gives a source trail and limits for the question it answers.
Can a root meaning settle a whole verse?
No. A word's history and range are useful, but grammar, speaker and surrounding argument remain essential. Do not insert every dictionary gloss into a single occurrence.
Continue this study
Verdict: a Bible dictionary for contextual reading
Use this Bible dictionary to find the right question, then read the passage comparison before drawing a conclusion. The method identifies source editions and rights. The Bible Meanings homepage connects this dictionary to names, textual numbers, objects and verse explanations.