HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H1800
דַּל
dal — poor
low, poor, weak, thin, one who is low
46 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →BIBLE DICTIONARY + WORD STUDY
Poor
Original Hebrew / Aramaic / Greek connected to this term
How to read this: there is rarely one magic “true meaning” hidden behind an English word. A lexicon records a word’s semantic range. The intended meaning is narrowed by grammar, sentence, author, historical usage and context.
GREEK · G4434
πτωχός
ptōchos — poor
πτωχός, -ή, -όν (πτώσσω, to crouch, cower), [in LXX for עָנִי, דַּל, רָשׁ, etc. ;] of one who crouches and cowers, hence, 1. as subst., a beggar: Luk.14:13, 21 16:20, 22. 2. As adj., (a) prop., beggarly: metaphorically, στοιχεῖα, Gal.4:9 (see Lft., in l); (b) in broader sense (opposite to πλούσιος), poor: Mat.11:5 19:21 26:9, 11, Mrk.10:21 12:42-43 14:5, 7, Luk.4:18 7:22 18:22 19:8 21:3, Jhn.12:5-6, 8 13:29, Rom.15:26, 2Co.6:10, Gal.2:10, Jas.2:2-3, 6, Rev.13:16; π. τ. κόσμῳ, Jas.2:5; metaphorically, Luk.6:20, Rev.3:17; π. τ. πνεύματι, Mat.5:3.† SYN.: πένης, q.v (AS)
34 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H6035
עָנָו
a.nav — poor
1) poor, humble, afflicted, meek 1a) poor, needy 1b) poor and weak 1c) poor, weak and afflicted 1d) humble, lowly, meek
21 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H4542
מִסְכֵּן
mis.ken — poor
poor, poor man
3 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →GREEK · G3993
πένης
penēs — poor
πένης, -ητος, ὁ (πένομαι, to work for one's daily bread), [in LXX for אֶבְיוֹן, עָנִי, דַּל, etc. ;] one who works for his living, a labourer, a poor man: 2Co.9:9.† SYN.: πτωχός, properly a beggar and implying deeper poverty than π. (see Tr., Syn., § xxxvi, Abbott, Essays, 78) (AS)
1 tagged verse occurrence · see every occurrence →GREEK · G3998
πενιχρός
penichros — poor
πενιχρός, -ά, -όν (πένομαι, see: πένης) [in LXX: Exo.22:25 (עָנִי), Pro.28:15 29:7 (דַּל) * ;] chiefly in Comic poets and late prose (but Plato, Rep., 578 A), = πένης, needy, poor: Luk.21:2 (for ex. in π., see MM, xix).† (AS)
1 tagged verse occurrence · see every occurrence →HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H3423
יָרַשׁ
ya.rash — to possess: possess
: possess/inherit 1) to seize, dispossess, take possession off, inherit, disinherit, occupy, impoverish, be an heir 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to take possession of 1a2) to inherit 1a3) to impoverish, come to poverty, be poor 1b) (Niphal) to be dispossessed, be impoverished, come to poverty 1c) (Piel) to devour 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to cause to possess or inherit 1d2) to cause others to possess or inherit 1d3) to impoverish 1d4) to dispossess 1d5) to destroy, bring to ruin, disinherit
198 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H6041
עָנִי
a.ni — afflicted
1) poor, afflicted, humble, wretched 1a) poor, needy 1b) poor and weak 1c) poor, weak, afflicted, wretched 1d) humble, lowly
67 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H34
אֶבְיוֹן
ev.yon — needy
1) in want, needy, chiefly poor, needy person 2) subject to oppression and abuse 3) needing help, deliverance from trouble, especially as delivered by God 4) general reference to lowest class
55 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H325
אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ
a.chash.ve.rosh — Ahasuerus
A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Ezr.4.6; married to Vashti (H2060); father of: Darius (H1868H) § Ahasuerus = "I will be silent and poor" title of the king of Persia, probably Xerxes
30 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H7326
רוּשׁ
rush — be poor
1) to be poor, be in want, lack 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be poor 1a2) to be in want or hunger 1a3) poor man (subst) 1b)(Hithpolel) one impoverishing himself (participle)
24 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →GREEK · G1131
γυμνός
gumnos — naked
γυμνός, -ή, -όν, [in LXX chiefly for עָרוֹם ;] naked, without clothing, and sometimes (as frequently in cl.) scantily or poorly clad (Isa.20:2ff., Tob.1:16, 2Ma.11:12): Mat.25:36, 38 43, 44, Mrk.14:52, Jhn.21:7, Act.19:16, Jas.2:15, Rev.3:17 16:15, 17:16; as subst., to γ., the naked body, Mrk.14:51. Metaphorical, of things exposed, Heb.4:13; of the soul without a body (Plat., Crat., with, 20, and cf. Deiss., LAE, 293), 2Co.5:3; of seed, bare, 1Co.15:37 (Cremer, 168).† (AS)
15 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H4134
מוּךְ
mukh — be poor
(Qal) to be low, grow poor, be depressed, be poor
5 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H2489
חֵֽלְכָה
che.le.kah — helpless
hapless, poor, unfortunate person
2 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →GREEK · G4433
πτωχεύω
ptōcheuō — be poor
πτωχεύω (πτωχός), [in LXX: Jdg.6:6, Psa.79:8 (דָּלַל); Jdg.14:15 A, Pro.23:21 (יָרַשׁ); Psa.34:10 (רוּשׁ), Tob.4:21 * ;] 1. to be a beggar, to beg (so chiefly in cl.). 2. to be poor as a beggar, to be destitute, poor: opposite to πλούσιος ὤν, 2Co.8:9.† (AS)
1 tagged verse occurrence · see every occurrence →HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H2745
חַרְחַס
char.chas — Harhas
A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Ki.22.14; father of: Tikvah (H8616); also called Hasrah at 2Ch.34.22; Also named: chas.rah (חַסְרָה "Hasrah" H2641) § Harhas = "very poor" grandfather of Shallum, the husband of Huldah, the prophetess
1 tagged verse occurrence · see every occurrence →HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H6033
עֲנָי
a.nah — to afflict
v 1) (P'al) to be humble, be low adj 2) poor, needy
1 tagged verse occurrence · see every occurrence →GREEK · G20188
βύβλος
bublos — papyrus
1. the Egyptian papyrus , the root and triangular stalk of which were eaten by the poor, (Herdotus Historicus) 2. its fibrous coats , as prepared for ropes, (Herdotus Historicus); compare βύβλινος. 3. the outer coat of the papyrus, used for writing on, hence in plural leaves of byblus , (Herdotus Historicus) 4. a paper, book , (Herdotus Historicus); in this sense more commonly written βίβλος (q. see.):—;plural βύβλα, τά, [variant datesAnthology Palantina (ML)
0 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →GREEK · G20925
πενέω
peneō — be poor
to be poor
0 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →GREEK · G8694
πένομαι
penomai — be in need
1. Dep., used in present and imperfect : 2. intransitive to work for one's daily bread ; generally, to toil, work, labour , (Homer) 3. to be poor or needy , Solon , (Euripides), etc. 4. with genitive to be poor in, have need of , (Aeschulus Tragicus) 5. transitive to work at, prepare, get ready , δαῖτα πένοντο (Odyssey by Homer); τί σε χρὴ ταῦτα πένεσθα; (Odyssey by Homer) (ML)
0 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →GREEK · G8984
πτωχίζω
ptōchizō — to make poor
to make poor
0 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →GREEK · G9795
ψιλός
psilos — bare
1. bare , 2. of land, ψιλὴ ἄροσις a bare corn-field, (Iliad by Homer); πεδίον μέγα τε καὶ ψιλόν (Herdotus Historicus): with genitive, γῆ ψιλὴ δενδρέων land bare of trees, (Herdotus Historicus):—; ψιλὴ γεωργία the tillage of land for corn , opposite to γ. πεφυτευμένη (for vines and olives) , (Aristotle Philosopher) 3. of animals, stript of hair or feathers, bare, smooth , δέρμα (Odyssey by Homer); ἶβις ψιλὴ κεφαλήν bald on the head, (Herdotus Historicus) 4. generally, bare, uncovered , ψιλὸν ὡς ὁρᾷ νέκυν (Sophocles Tragicus):—;with genitive bare of, separated from , ψιλὴ σώματος οὖσα [ ἡ ψυχή] (Plato Philosophus) b. bare, stript of appendages , ψιλὴ τρόπις the bare keel with the planks torn from it, (Odyssey by Homer); ψ. θρίδαξ a lettuce with the side-leaves pulled off , (Herdotus Historicus); ψ. μάχαιραι swords without other arms , (Xenophon Historicus) 5. οἱ ψιλοί (i.e. τῶν ὅπλων); soldiers without heavy armour, light troops , such as archers and slingers, opposite to ὁπλῖται, (Herdotus Historicus), etc.; τὸ ψιλόν, opposite to τὸ ὁπλιτικόν, (Xenophon Historicus); ψ. ἔχων τὴν κεφαλήν bare-headed, without helmet , (Xenophon Historicus) 6. ψιλὸς λόγος bare language, i. e. prose , as opposite to poetry which is clothed in metre, (Plato Philosophus); also, ψ. λόγος is a mere speech, a speech unsupported by evidence , (Demosthenes Orator) 7. ψιλὴ ποίησις mere poetry, without music , i. e. epic poetry, as opposite to lyric , (Plato Philosophus):—;but, ψιλὴ μουσική instrumental music unaccompanied by the voice , (Aristotle Philosopher) 8. Oedipus seems to call Antigone his ψιλὸν ὄμμα, as being the one poor eye left him, (Sophocles Tragicus) 9. adverb ψιλῶς, merely, only , (Plutarch) (ML)
0 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →Historical dictionary entry
The Mosaic legislation regarding the poor is specially important. (1.) They had the right of gleaning the fields (Lev. 19:9, 10; Deut. 24:19, 21). (2.) In the sabbatical year they were to have their share of the produce of the fields and the vineyards (Ex. 23:11; Lev. 25:6). (3.) In the year of jubilee they recovered their property (Lev. 25:25-30). (4.) Usury was forbidden, and the pledged raiment was to be returned before the sun went down (Ex. 22:25-27; Deut. 24:10-13). The rich were to be generous to the poor (Deut. 15:7-11). (5.) In the sabbatical and jubilee years the bond-servant was to go free (Deut. 15:12-15; Lev. 25:39-42, 47-54). (6.) Certain portions from the tithes were assigned to the poor (Deut. 14:28, 29; 26:12, 13). (7.) They shared in the feasts (Deut. 16:11, 14; Neh. 8:10). (8.) Wages were to be paid at the close of each day (Lev. 19:13). In the New Testament (Luke 3:11; 14:13; Acts 6:1; Gal. 2:10; James 2:15, 16) we have similar injunctions given with reference to the poor. Begging was not common under the Old Testament, while it was so in the New Testament times (Luke 16:20, 21, etc.). But begging in the case of those who are able to work is forbidden, and all such are enjoined to “work with their own hands” as a Christian duty (1 Thess. 4:11; 2 Thess. 3:7-13; Eph. 4:28). This word is used figuratively in Matt. 5:3; Luke 6:20; 2 Cor. 8:9; Rev. 3:17.
Scripture references
Leviticus 19:9Leviticus 19:10Deuteronomy 24:19Deuteronomy 24:21Exodus 23:11Leviticus 25:6Leviticus 25:25-30Exodus 22:25-27Deuteronomy 24:10-13Deuteronomy 15:7-11Deuteronomy 15:12-15Leviticus 25:39-42Leviticus 25:47-54Deuteronomy 14:28Deuteronomy 14:29Deuteronomy 16:11Deuteronomy 16:14Nehemiah 8:10Leviticus 19:13Luke 3:11Luke 14:13Acts 6:1Galatians 2:10James 2:15James 2:16Luke 16:20Luke 16:211 Thessalonians 4:112 Thessalonians 3:7-13Ephesians 4:28Matthew 5:3Luke 6:202 Corinthians 8:9Revelation 3:17Leviticus 24:19Leviticus 24:21Leviticus 25:3Leviticus 25:5Leviticus 25:37Leviticus 15:12-15
Source: Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897). Historical dictionary wording reflects the scholarship and language of its era.