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2 Kings 1:8

“They said to him, “A hairy man, with a belt of leather tied around his waist.” He said, “It is Elijah the Tishbite.””

2 Kings 1:8 · direct translation from the Hebrew
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With the Hebrew beneath

8

Allusion · Matthew 3:4

Go to Matthew 3:4

John’s clothing is described with the words with which 2 Kings 1:8 describes Elijah: hair, a leather belt and the waist (in this translation, “belt” and “waist” in both 2 Kings and Matthew).

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

  • שֵׂעָרsearH8181τριχῶνtrichōnG2359“hair, hair of the head”
  • אֵזוֹרezorH232ζώνηνzōnēnG2223“belt”
  • מָתְנָיmatnayH4975ὀσφὺνosphynG3751“loins, waist”

2 Kings 1:8, word by word

They saidיֹּאמְרוּyomru

say

To say with the mouth to someone what one thinks or wants, or to answer him.

Where else “yomru” appears
“A hairyבַּעַלbaal

one having

Literally "lord of": one marked by something, like the "lord of dreams", a dreamer.

Where else “baal” appears
“A hairyשֵׂעָרsear

hair

Hair, body hair.

Where else “sear” appears
manאִישׁish

man

An adult male person; also each man of a people, a trade or a place.

Where else “ish” appears
with a beltאֵזוֹרezor

belt, band

A belt, a sash: a band tied around the waist.

Where else “ezor” appears
of leatherעוֹרor

skin, leather

Skin, hide; leather.

Where else “or” appears
tiedאָזוּרazur

gird

To gird: to fasten clothing or weapons at the waist for work or for battle; figuratively, to be filled with strength.

Where else “azur” appears
around his waistמָתְנָיmatnay

waist, loins

Waist, loins.

Where else “matnay” appears
Elijahאֵלִיָּהeliya

Elijah

Elijah: a name meaning "my El is YHWH." It is the prophet from Gilead who confronted King Ahab and the worship of Baal (1 Kings 17–2 Kings 2); two other Israelites bear the same name (1 Chronicles 8:27; Ezra 10:21).

Where else “eliya” appears
the Tishbiteתִּשְׁבִּיtishbi

Tishbite

Tishbite: from Tishbe, a place in Gilead, east of the Jordan. It is the epithet of the prophet Elijah.

Where else “tishbi” appears

Translation note

“Hairy”: literally “owner of hair.” It can be said of a man with much hair or of one who wears a cloak of hair, like the one prophets used (Zechariah 13:4; compare Matthew 3:4).

The context

7He spoke to them, “What was the appearance of the man who came up to meet you and spoke to you these words?”

8 · This verse (above)

9He sent to him a commander of fifty with his fifty. He went up to him, and there he was, sitting on the top of the mountain. He spoke to him, “Man of Elohim, the king has spoken: ‘Come down.’”

Read all of 2 Kings 1

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