עוֹלָם
forever
‘forever’ is one of 2 main senses fuller range ↓
Full lexicon entry — Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
From Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
Where this word appears
See every Absolute-state word in the Hebrew Bible →
Grammar key — what these labels mean
Part of speech
- Noun
- A naming word — a person, place, thing, or idea.
Noun type
- Common
- A common noun — a general class of person, place, or thing (“king,” “city,” “water”), not a specific name.
State
- Absolute
- The independent form of a noun, not bound to a following word.
- Construct
- A noun bound to a following noun in a possessive / “of” relationship (the construct chain).
Gender
- Masculine
- Grammatically masculine.
Number
- Singular
- One.
- Plural
- More than one (in Hebrew, generally three or more).
45 verses where H5769 appears in the Absolute state in the Book of Isaiah. Filtered view — show all forms. Click any verse to open its interlinear word-by-word view. Verse text shown in the World English Bible for context — . Each verse’s Hebrew form is shown with its reference; the English is not keyword-highlighted, since the data carries no word-level English alignment. Use “Compare translations” on any verse to read it across multiple English versions. This concordance covers the Hebrew Bible; Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) occurrences are not indexed here.
Isaiah
- Isaiah 9:7 עוֹלָ֔ם n c ms Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end, on the throne of David, and on his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from henceforth even forever. The zeal of Yahweh of Hosts will perform this.
- Isaiah 14:20 לְ/עוֹלָ֖ם prep + n c ms You shall not be joined with them in burial, because you have destroyed your land, you have killed your people; the seed of evil-doers shall not be named forever.
- Isaiah 24:5 עוֹלָֽם n c ms The earth also is polluted under the inhabitants of it; because they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant.
- Isaiah 25:2 לְ/עוֹלָ֖ם prep + n c ms For you have made of a city a heap, of a fortified city a ruin, a palace of strangers to be no city; it shall never be built.
- Isaiah 26:4 עוֹלָמִֽים n c mp Trust in Yahweh forever; for in Yah, Yahweh, is an everlasting Rock.
- Isaiah 30:8 עוֹלָֽם n c ms Now go, write it before them on a tablet, and inscribe it in a book, that it may be for the time to come forever and ever.
- Isaiah 32:14 עוֹלָ֔ם n c ms For the palace shall be forsaken; the populous city shall be deserted; the hill and the watch-tower shall be for dens forever, a joy of wild donkeys, a pasture of flocks;
- Isaiah 32:17 עוֹלָֽם n c ms The work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever.
- Isaiah 33:14 עוֹלָֽם n c ms The sinners in Zion are afraid; trembling has seized the godless ones: Who among us can dwell with the devouring fire? who among us can dwell with everlasting burning?
- Isaiah 34:10 לְ/עוֹלָ֖ם prep + n c ms It shall not be quenched night nor day; the smoke of it shall go up for ever; from generation to generation it shall lie waste; none shall pass through it forever and ever.
- Isaiah 34:17 עוֹלָם֙ n c ms He has cast the lot for them, and his hand has divided it to them by line: they shall possess it forever; from generation to generation shall they dwell therein.
- Isaiah 35:10 עוֹלָ֖ם n c ms and the ransomed of Yahweh shall return, and come with singing to Zion; and everlasting joy shall be on their heads: they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
- Isaiah 40:8 לְ/עוֹלָֽם prep + n c ms The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God shall stand forever.
- Isaiah 40:28 עוֹלָ֤ם n c ms Have you not known? have you not heard? The everlasting God, Yahweh, the Creator of the ends of the earth, doesn't faint, neither is weary; there is no searching of his understanding.
- Isaiah 42:14 מֵֽ/עוֹלָ֔ם prep + n c ms I have long time held my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: [now] will I cry out like a travailing woman; I will gasp and pant together.
- Isaiah 44:7 עוֹלָ֑ם n c ms Who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I established the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and that shall happen, let them declare.
- Isaiah 45:17 עוֹלָמִ֑ים ע֥וֹלְמֵי n c mp n c mp cs [But] Israel shall be saved by Yahweh with an everlasting salvation: you shall not be disappointed nor confounded world without end.
- Isaiah 46:9 מֵ/עוֹלָ֑ם prep + n c ms Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; [I am] God, and there is none like me;
- Isaiah 47:7 לְ/עוֹלָ֖ם prep + n c ms You said, I shall be mistress forever; so that you did not lay these things to your heart, neither did remember the latter end of it.
- Isaiah 51:6 לְ/עוֹלָ֣ם prep + n c ms Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look on the earth beneath; for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment; and those who dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be forever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.
- Isaiah 51:8 לְ/עוֹלָ֣ם prep + n c ms For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool; but my righteousness shall be forever, and my salvation to all generations.
- Isaiah 51:9 עוֹלָמִ֑ים n c mp Awake, awake, put on strength, arm of Yahweh; awake, as in the days of old, the generations of ancient times. Isn't it you who did cut Rahab in pieces, who pierced the monster?
- Isaiah 51:11 עוֹלָ֖ם n c ms The ransomed of Yahweh shall return, and come with singing to Zion; and everlasting joy shall be on their heads: they shall obtain gladness and joy; [and] sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
- Isaiah 54:8 עוֹלָ֖ם n c ms In overflowing wrath I hid my face from you for a moment; but with everlasting loving kindness will I have mercy on you, says Yahweh your Redeemer.
- Isaiah 55:3 עוֹלָ֔ם n c ms Turn your ear, and come to me; hear, and your soul shall live: and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
- Isaiah 55:13 עוֹלָ֖ם n c ms Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree; and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to Yahweh for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.
- Isaiah 56:5 עוֹלָם֙ n c ms To them will I give in my house and within my walls a memorial and a name better than of sons and of daughters; I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.
- Isaiah 57:11 וּ/מֵ֣/עֹלָ֔ם conj + prep + n c ms Of whom have you been afraid and in fear, that you lie, and have not remembered me, nor laid it to your heart? Haven't I held my peace even of long time, and you don't fear me?
- Isaiah 57:16 לְ/עוֹלָם֙ prep + n c ms For I will not contend forever, neither will I be always angry; for the spirit would faint before me, and the souls who I have made.
- Isaiah 58:12 עוֹלָ֔ם n c ms Those who shall be of you shall build the old waste places; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.
- Isaiah 59:21 עוֹלָֽם n c ms As for me, this is my covenant with them, says Yahweh: my Spirit who is on you, and my words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, nor out of the mouth of your seed, nor out of the mouth of your seed's seed, says Yahweh, from henceforth and forever.
- Isaiah 60:15 עוֹלָ֔ם n c ms Whereas you have been forsaken and hated, so that no man passed through you, I will make you an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations.
- Isaiah 60:19 עוֹלָ֔ם n c ms The sun shall be no more your light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light to you: but Yahweh will be to you an everlasting light, and your God your glory.
- Isaiah 60:20 עוֹלָ֔ם n c ms Your sun shall no more go down, neither shall your moon withdraw itself; for Yahweh will be your everlasting light, and the days of your mourning shall be ended.
- Isaiah 60:21 לְ/עוֹלָ֖ם prep + n c ms Your people also shall be all righteous; they shall inherit the land forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified.
- Isaiah 61:4 עוֹלָ֔ם n c ms They shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.
- Isaiah 61:7 עוֹלָ֖ם n c ms Instead of your shame [you shall have] double; and instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess double; everlasting joy shall be to them.
- Isaiah 61:8 עוֹלָ֖ם n c ms For I, Yahweh, love justice, I hate robbery with iniquity; and I will give them their recompense in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
- Isaiah 63:9 עוֹלָֽם n c ms In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bore them, and carried them all the days of old.
- Isaiah 63:11 עוֹלָ֖ם n c ms Then he remembered the days of old, Moses [and] his people, [saying], Where is he who brought them up out of the sea with the shepherds of his flock? where is he who put his holy Spirit in the midst of them?
- Isaiah 63:12 עוֹלָֽם n c ms who caused his glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses? who divided the waters before them, to make himself an everlasting name?
- Isaiah 63:16 מֵֽ/עוֹלָ֖ם prep + n c ms For you are our Father, though Abraham doesn't know us, and Israel does not acknowledge us: you, Yahweh, are our Father; our Redeemer from everlasting is your name.
- Isaiah 63:19 מֵֽ/עוֹלָם֙ prep + n c ms We are become as they over whom you never bear rule, as those who were not called by your name.
- Isaiah 64:4 וּ/מֵ/עוֹלָ֥ם conj + prep + n c ms For from of old men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither has the eye seen a God besides you, who works for him who waits for him.
- Isaiah 64:5 עוֹלָ֖ם n c ms You meet him who rejoices and works righteousness, those who remember you in your ways: behold, you were angry, and we sinned: in them [have we been] of long time; and shall we be saved?
About this entry
At a glance — auto-summarized from this page’s data, not written by a person. Every figure links to its source below. This summary describes the numbers; it doesn’t interpret them.
“forever” is the headline sense of the Hebrew noun עולם (ʻôwlâm). Older and newer Bibles part ways — “ever” in the King James Version, “forever” (Berean Standard Bible) in modern versions. See the renderings breakdown. It turns up in 412 verses across 34 books, a common footprint. It concentrates in Psalms, which alone accounts for 33% of its uses. Its meaning spans more than one sense — see its full sense range. The sections below give every sense, occurrence, and version rendering.
Gloss history
Strong's 1890 vs modern scholarship
About this word
Strong's H5769 catalogs a Hebrew word from the Hebrew Old Testament.
These counts are not copied from any lexicon or concordance. They are computed here, from the morphology-tagged Hebrew Old Testament. What Lemma adds →
- 412
- distinct verses
- The word appears in 412 distinct verses.
- 34 / 39
- OT books
- The word appears in 34 of 39 Old Testament books.
- #111
- by frequency
- Top 250 most frequent Hebrew words (rank 111 of 8,640 Hebrew words by occurrence).
View all 412 occurrences in the concordance →
By section of the Old Testament
By traditional corpus
Conventional, traditional groupings — biblical authorship is debated, so this is a traditional corpus grouping, not an authorship claim. Each share is this word’s portion of its verses in that division of the Hebrew canon. Each figure is a share of the word’s 412 distinct verses.
- Writings (Ketuvim) 198 verses · 48%
- Prophets (Nevi'im) 142 verses · 34%
- Torah (Pentateuch) 72 verses · 17%
How translations render this word
Counts come from each version’s own published word-to-Strong’s tagging or interlinear alignment — an approximate guide to how each version renders this word, not a word-level alignment the data otherwise carries. Because each total is that version’s own tagged count, the per-version totals vary from one another and need not match the appearance or distinct-verse counts above. These counts may also differ from a printed concordance because Lemma counts each distinctly tagged rendering and does not collapse phrase taggings into a single head-word total. This is a fixed set of word-tagged versions (KJV, ASV, BSB, ULT) and does not change with the reading translation you choose elsewhere. Each version’s license is shown beside its name below (and on Sources).
- King James Version: Ever 197×, Endureth for ever 45×, Everlasting 40×
- American Standard Version: Ever 179×, Everlasting 47×, Endureth for ever 44×
- Berean Standard Bible: Forever 112×, Everlasting 55×, Endures forever 43×
- unfoldingWord Literal Text: Forever 204×, Eternity 77×, Is to forever 35×
King James Version Public Domain
Renders H5769 across 431 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 54 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings. Not rendered by a distinct English word in 8 further occurrences.
American Standard Version Public Domain
Renders H5769 across 434 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 77 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
Berean Standard Bible Public Domain
Renders H5769 across 341 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 35 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings. Not rendered by a distinct English word in 98 further occurrences.
unfoldingWord Literal Text CC BY-SA 4.0
Renders H5769 across 431 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 17 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
19 senses and sub-senses in the full BDB
What do BDB’s symbols mean?
BDB uses these scholarly abbreviations:
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 𝔊 | the Septuagint (the ancient Greek translation, LXX) |
| 𝔙 | the Vulgate (the Latin translation) |
| 𝔖 | the Syriac version (the Peshitta) |
| 𝔗 | the Targum (the Aramaic translation) |
| ψ | the Psalms |
| √ | root (the underlying root or stem) |
| ‖ | parallel passage (a synonymous or contrasted parallel) |
| † | the dagger: every passage where the word occurs is cited |
The 19 senses and sub-senses the full Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon distinguishes for this word, in lexicon order (not ranked by frequency), with BDB’s own verbatim wording and sub-sense lettering. Shown in Hebrew script with BDB’s own scholarly abbreviations. The condensed entry is in the Lexicon Entry tab. See also the Forms in the corpus table below.
- 1. of past time:
- a. ancient time: יְמֵי ע׳ days of old Is 63:9, 11 Am 9:11 Mi 5:1; 7:14 Mal 3:4; יְמוֹת ע׳ Dt 32:7; עַם ע׳ Is 44:7 ancient people; גּוֹי מֵע׳ Je 5:15; חָרְבוֹת ע׳ old waste places Is 58:12 61:4, cf. Ez 26:20 b; פִּתְחֵי ע׳ ancient gates ψ 24:7, 9; ארח ע׳ Jb 22:15; נתבות ע׳ Je 6:16; שְׁבִילֵי ע׳ 18:15; גבול ע׳ Pr 22:28; 23:10; במות ע׳ Ez 36:2; מִן (םֵ)ע׳ from of old Is 64:3 Je 2:20 Jo 2:2, of the fathers Jos 24:2, the prophets Je 28:8, the ancient נפלים Gn 6:4; (Ez 32:27 𝔊 Co for מערלים; but 1 S 27:8 read מִטֵּלָם for מעולם We Dr HPS); בהם ע׳ long in them Is 64:4 (text dub.). e.g. Isaiah 63:9
- b. מֵתֵי ע׳ the long dead ψ 143:3 La 3:6; so עַם ע׳ Ez 26:20. e.g. Psalms 143:3
- c. of God, מֵע׳: former acts Is 46:9; as redeemer Is 63:16; of love ψ 25:6, judgment 119:52, dominion Is 63:19; long silence 42:14; 57:11*; his wisdom personif. Pr 8:23; his existence ψ 93:2. e.g. Isaiah 46:9
- d. of things: גבעות ע׳ ancient hills Gn 49:26 (J), Hb 3:6 (‖ הררי־עד), Dt 33:15 (‖ הררי קדם). e.g. Genesis 49:26
- e. pl. שְׁנוֹת עולמים ψ 77:6 years of ancient times; דורות עולמים Is 51:9; לעלמים Ec 1:10 in olden times. e.g. Psalms 77:6
- 2.
- a. indef. futurity, c. prep. for ever, always (sometimes = during the lifetime); עֶבֶד עולם slave for ever Dt 15:17; 1 S 27:12; Jb 40:28; עָבַד לע׳ serve for ever Ex 21:6 (E), Lv 25:46; עד ע׳ 1 S 1:22; גְּאֻלַּת ע׳ Lv 25:32 redemption at any time; הֲרַת ע׳ Je 20:17 ever pregnant (womb); כְּלִמַּת ע׳ v 11 of persecutors of Jeremiah; חרפת ע׳ 23:40; שַׁלְוֵי ע׳ ψ 73:12 alway at ease; יְחִי לע׳ (יחיה) may the king live always 1 K 1:31; Ne 2:3; cf. אֹרֶךְ יָמִים עולם ועד ψ 21:5; ישׁב עולם לפני אלהים 61:8; so of the pious, לע׳ לא ימוט 15:5; בל ימוט Pr 10:30, cf. ψ 30:7; other phr.: ψ 37:27, 28 41:13; 55:23; 61:8; 73:26; 121:8 Pr 10:25; ע׳ אשׁירה ψ 89:2 I will sing for ever (as long as I live), cf. 52:10; 115:18; 145:1, 2; הוֹדה לע׳ 30:13; 44:9; 52:11; 79:13; other emotions and activities continuous through life 5:12; 31:2 = 71:1, 75:10; 86:12; 119:44, 93, 98, 111, 112 Mi 4:5, cf. לע׳ 2:9. e.g. Deuteronomy 15:17
- b. = continuous existence, (1) of things: the earth, הָאָרֶץ לְעוֹלָם עֹמֶדֶת Ec 1:4; other phr.: ψ 78:69; 104:5, heavens and contents 148:6, ruined cities Is 25:2; 32:14 Ez 26:21; 27:36; 28:19, ruined lands Je 18:16; 25:9, 12; 49:13, 33; 51:26, 62 Ez 35:9 Zp 2:9; לעד עד ע׳ Is 30:8 for a witness for ever, in a book; (2) of nations: לעולם אהיה 47:7 (Babylon loqu.), cf. ψ 81:16 Ob 10; ישׁב לע׳ of Judah Jo 4:20; (3) families ψ 49:12 Is 14:20; the dynasty of Saul 1 S 13:13; house of Eli 2:30; (4) national relations: איבת ע׳ continual enmity Ez 25:15; 35:5; of exclusion from קהל י׳, עד ע׳ Dt 23:4 = Ne 13:1; various relations Is 32:17; 34:10; חרפת ע׳ perpetual reproach ψ 78:66, of dynasty of David 2 S 3:28; 12:10 1 K 2:33, families v 33 2 K 5:27 ψ 106:31 Je 35:6. e.g. Ecclesiastes 1:4
- c. of divine existence: אל עולם Gn 21:33 (J); אלהי ע׳ Is 40:28; חי אנכי לע׳ Dt 32:40; חֵי הע׳ Dn 12:7; of divine name, זה שׁמי לְע׳ Ex 3:15 (E), cf. 2 Ch 33:7 (v. supr.); blessing and praise of it 2 S 7:26 = 1 Ch 17:24, ψ 72:19; 135:13; of י׳ himself 89:53; attributes, אהבה Je 31:3 1 K 10:9; חסד Is 54:8 ψ 89:2; 138:8; לע׳ חַסְדּוֹ 1 Ch 16:34, 41 2 Ch 5:13; 7:3, 6; 20:21 Ezr 3:11 ψ 100:5; 106:1; 107:1; 118:1, 2, 3, 4, 29; 136:1 + 25 times, Je 33:11; כבוד ψ 104:31; אמת 117:2; 146:6; צדק 119:142; עצה 33:11; reign Ex 15:18 (E), ψ 10:16; 66:7; 92:9; 146:10 Je 10:10 Mi 4:7; יהוה לע׳ ישׁב ψ 9:8; 29:10; 102:13 La 5:19; presence in Zion 1 Ch 23:25; Is 33:14; 60:19, 20 Ez 37:28; 43:7, 9; his salvation Is 51:6, 8; זרעת ע׳ Dt 33:27 everlasting arms; כל אשׁר יעשׂה האלהים יהיה לע׳ Ec 3:14. e.g. Genesis 21:33
- d. of God’s covenant: בְּרִית ע׳ everlasting covenant Gn 9:16; 17:7, 13, 19 Ex 31:16 Lv 24:8 Nu 18:19 (all P), 2 S 23:5; 1 Ch 16:17 = ψ 105:10, Is 24:5; 55:3; 61:8 Je 32:40; 50:5; Ez 16:60; 37:26; covenant with Noah, לְדֹרֹת ע׳ Gn 9:12 (P); God remembers it 1 Ch 16:15 = ψ 105:8, ψ 111:5; will not break it, לע׳ Ju 2:1; אוֹת ע׳ Ex 31:17 (P); אוֹת עד ע׳ Dt 28:46. e.g. Genesis 9:16
- e. of God’s laws: דבר(ים) Is 59:21 ψ 119:89; משׁפט 119:160; עדות v 144, 152; חק ע׳ Ex 29:28; 30:21 (E), Lv 6:11, 15; 7:34; 10:15; 24:9 Nu 18:8, 11, 19 (P), also Je 5:22 (of bounds of sea); חק עד ע׳ Ex 12:24 (J), חֻקַּת ע׳ v 14, 17; 27:21; 28:43; 29:9 Lv 3:17; 7:36; 10:9; 16:29, 31, 34; 17:7; 23:14, 21, 31, 41; 24:3, 8; Nu 10:8; 15:15; 18:23; 19:10, 21 (P) (most of these in fact specif. Jewish and temporary); temple to bear God’s name, עד ע׳ 1 K 9:3 = 2 Ch 7:16; לע׳ 2 K 21:7 2 Ch 33:4; consecrated לע׳ 30:8; its ceremonies לע׳ 2:3; Levit. priesthood, לשׁרתו עד ע׳ 1 Ch 15:2; Aaronic priesthood, לברך בשׁמי עד ע׳ 23:13(×2). e.g. Isaiah 59:21
- f. of God’s promises: his word, יקום לע׳ Is 40:8; promised dynasty of David, עד (ה)ע׳ 2 S 7:13, 16(×2), 25 = 1 Ch 17:12, 14(×2), 23 ψ 18:51 = 2 S 22:51; 1 K 2:33, 45 1 Ch 22:10 ψ 89:5; לע׳ 1 K 9:5; 1 Ch 28:4, 7; 2 Ch 13:5 ψ 89:29, 37 2 S 7:29(×2) = 1 Ch 17:27(×2); of holy land 1 Ch 28:8, אֲחֻזַּת ע׳ Gn 17:8; 48:4 Lv 25:34 (P); given לע׳ Ex 32:13 (J) 2 Ch 20:7; עד ע׳ Gn 13:15, inherited לע׳ Is 60:21 ψ 37:18; עד ע׳ Is 34:17; dwelt in עד ע׳ Ez 37:25; other blessings, לע׳ Dt 5:29 Ho 2:21; עד ע׳ Dt 12:28; 2 S 7:24 = 1 Ch 17:22, ψ 133:3; שִׂמְחַת ע׳ Is 35:10; 51:11; 61:7; דֶּרֶךְ ע׳ ψ 139:24; שׁם ע׳ Is 56:5; 63:12; אות ע׳ 55:13; גאון ע׳ 60:15; Jerus. to abide לע׳ Je 17:25 ψ 125:1, cf. Je 31:40; עד ע׳ ψ 48:9. e.g. Isaiah 40:8
- g. of relations between God and his people, לע׳ 1 Ch 29:18 ψ 45:18; 85:6; 103:9; 145:21; Is 57:16; Je 3:5, 12; La 3:31; Jo 2:26, 27; עד (ה)ע׳ ψ 28:9 Mal 1:4. e.g. 1 Chronicles 29:18
- h. of Messianic dynasty and king: (ל)ע׳ ψ 110:4; having divine throne 45:7; name endures 72:17; established 89:38; God blesses him 45:3; of his reign, מעתה ועד ע׳ Is 9:6. e.g. Psalms 110:4
- i. = indefinite, unending future: live לע׳ Gn 3:22; Jb 7:16; הנביאים הלע׳ יִחְיוּ Zc 1:5 the prophets, can they live for ever? cf. חדל לע׳ ψ 49:9; c. neg. never Ezr 9:12; Pr 27:24. e.g. Genesis 3:22
- j. after death: שׁנת ע׳ Je 51:39, 57; בית ע׳ Ec 12:5; חַיֵּי ע׳ Dn 12:2; דראון ע׳ v 2; also v 3 Jon 2:7; Ec 2:16; 9:6. e.g. Jeremiah 51:39
- k. = age (duration) of the world: את העלם נתן בְּלִבָּם Ec 3:11 the age of the world he hath set, etc. (cf. especially NH; others i). e.g. Ecclesiastes 3:11
- l. pl. intens. everlastingness, eternity: תשׁועת עולמים Is 45:17; צדק עלמים Dn 9:24; צור עולמים Is 26:4 (RVm rock of ages); מלכוּת כל עלמים ψ 145:13; also 61:5; 77:8; 1 K 8:13 = 2 Ch 6:2. e.g. Isaiah 45:17
- m. special phr.: מ(ה)עולם (ו)עד (ה)עולם (מן) from everlasting to everlasting, of י׳ ψ 90:2, חסד י׳ 103:17; benedictions 1 Ch 16:36 = ψ 106:48, Ne 9:5; 1 Ch 29:10 ψ 41:14; the land given למן עולם ועד עולם Je 7:7; 25:5; מעתה ועד עולם from now and for ever ψ 115:18; 121:8 (i.e. as long as one lives); of people’s hope in God 131:3; dynasty of David Is 9:6; of God’s acts, words, etc. Mi 4:7; Is 59:21 ψ 125:2, cf. 113:2;—v. further i. עַד p. 723. e.g. Psalms 90:2
Senses from the full Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon (Brown, Driver, Briggs; Oxford 1906 — public domain), digitized via Sefaria, supplemented by the OpenScriptures HebrewLexicon (CC BY 4.0). Full attribution on Sources.
Word origin
n.m. long duration, antiquity, futurity;—ע׳ Gn 9:12 + 405 times; עֹלָם 3:22 + 19 times; עֵילוֹם 2 Ch 33:7, read prob. עוֹלָם (for other explan. v. note in KitHpt); sf. עֹלָמוֹ Ec 12:5; pl. עוֹלָמִים Is 26:4 + 7 times, עֹלָמִים ψ 145:13 + 2 times; cstr. עוֹלְמֵי Is 45:17;—
— Brown-Driver-Briggs (Oxford 1906, public domain), digitized via Sefaria, supplemented by the OpenScriptures HebrewLexicon (CC BY 4.0). See Sources.
Derived from עלם (ʻâlam) (H5956) — to hide.
Jastrow Dictionary
A second Hebrew/Aramaic lexicon for comparison, covering Aramaic and post-biblical (Talmudic, Targumic, Midrashic) usage that the biblical-Hebrew BDB does not. Matched by lemma rather than by Strong’s number, so a lemma may carry more than one Jastrow headword (shown separately below), and the entries cover usage well beyond the Bible.
עוֹלָם
- [strength, endurance,] nature, existence, world; (b. h.) life-time, eternity. Y. Ber. IV, 7ᵇ bot. (ref. to עד עולם, I Sam. I, 22) והלא אין עוֹלָמוֹ של לוי וכ׳ but the life-time (active service) of the Levite is only up to fifty years. Kidd. 15ᵃ (ref. to Ex. XXI, 6 לְעֹלָם) הוה אמינא לע׳ ממש I might have thought, that it meant really for ever (for life); קמשמע לן לע׳ לעולמו של יובל it is intimated (by ושבתם וכ׳, Lev. XXV, 10) that l’‘olam means up to the period of the jubilee. Ber. 17ᵃ עוֹלָמְךָ תראה בחייך וכ׳ mayest thou see (enjoy) thy existence during thy life-time, and thy future (reward be reserved) for the life of the world to come. Arakh. 16ᵇ bot. קיבל עולמו has received his reward in this world. Ber. IX, 5 כל חותמי … מן הע׳ (Bab. ed. 54ᵃ עד הע׳, v. Rabb. D. S. a. l. note 20) in all conclusions of benedictions in the Temple they used to say, (Blessed is the Lord …) from everlasting; משקלקלו … אין ע׳ אלא אחד וכ׳ … when the heretics (or Sadducees) degenerated and said, there is only one world, they ordained the formula, From everlasting to everlasting. Pes. 56ᵃ; Tosef. ib. II (III), 19 they did not say ברוך שם כבוד מלכותו לע׳ וָעֶד blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever. Gen. R. s. 30, a. fr. ראה ע׳ חדש has seen a new world (a great change). Cant. R. to I, 3, a. e. ע׳ שאין בו מות, v. אֲתָאנַסְיָא; a. fr.—Y. Ned. XI, 42ᶜ bot. פירות הע׳ the fruits of the world, i.e. coming from some other place, opp. צבורים בסידקי.—ע׳ הזה (abbrev. עה"ז) this world, mundane existence; ע׳ הבא (abbrev. עה"ב) the world to come, the hereafter, also the Messianic days; the days of resurrection. Pes. 50ᵃ לא כעה"ז עה"ב not as in this world (the present), will it be in the Messianic days. Ber. 51ᵃ זוכה ונוחל שני עולמים העה"ז והעה"ב will be permitted to inherit two worlds, this world and the hereafter. Ab. IV, 16, v. פְּרוֹזְדּוֹר. Snh. X, 1, a. fr. חלק לעה"ב a share in the world to come (resurrection); a. v. fr.—אומות הע׳ (abbrev. אוה"ע, א"ה), v. אוּמָּה.—בית ע׳ (euphem.) cemetery. Lev. R. s. 12, beg. (interch. with עֲלַם q. v.).—Pl. עוֹלָמִים, עוֹלָמִין, עוֹלָמוֹת. Ber. l. c., v. supra. Snh. 100ᵃ שלש מאות ועשרה ע׳ three hundred and ten worlds (existences of beatitude). Gen. R. s. 3, a. e. היה בורא ע׳ ומחריבן he created worlds and destroyed them again; a. fr.—בית ע׳ the permanent house, the Jerusalem Temple, opp. משכן the Tabernacle. Succ. 5ᵇ; a. fr.—לְעוֹלָם a) forever, always, under all circumstances. Y. Ber. V, 9ᵃ bot. חיים לע׳ a life for ever (not ceasing). Keth. IV, 5 לע׳ היא ברשות וכ׳ she (the betrothed) continues to be under the father’s jurisdiction (sharing his legal status), until she is wedded. B. Mets. 59ᵃ לע׳ … בכבוד אשתו under all conditions a man must guard the honor of his wife. Yeb. 46ᵃ, a. e. לע׳ אין גר עד וכ׳ a person is not considered a proselyte, until he has been circumcised and immersed; a. v. fr.—b) (dialectic term) at all events, in spite of your argument, still. Ḥull. 101ᵃ לע׳ קסבר וכ׳ Rab may still be of the opinion that &c.; Ber. 3ᵃ. Ib. 3ᵇ לע׳ בחד וכ׳ I may still say, it refers to one person and to recent debris; a. fr.—מֵע׳ לא never. Yoma 49ᵃ מע׳ לא שאלני וכ׳ never (in my life) did a person consult me about &c.; (Ḥull. 7ᵇ מימי). Sabb. 108ᵇ מע׳ לא טבע גברא וכ׳ never yet has a person been drowned in the Dead Sea; a. fr. e.g. 1 Samuel 1:22
עוּלֵם
- , v. sub עוּלֵימ׳.
A Dictionary of the Targumim, the Talmud Babli and Yerushalmi, and the Midrashic Literature (Marcus Jastrow; London, Luzac, 1903) — Public Domain. Digitized via Sefaria. Digitized via Sefaria. Full attribution on Sources.
Forms in the corpus
The 67 distinct written forms H5769 takes in the Hebrew Bible, most frequent first — each parse links to that state’s occurrences in the concordance. Hebrew forms include their vowel points and cantillation, so a single lemma takes many written forms.
The 60 most common forms are shown; 7 rarer forms follow in the full concordance.
Same root — word family
Other BDB entries built from the same root as H5769, grouped by Strong’s listed origin. These share a root / origin per the lexicon — not necessarily a shared meaning. Each links to that word’s own entry.
Derives from
Shares the same root
Derived from this word
Proper names from this root
People and places named from this root — a name, not an additional meaning of the word.
- יעלם Yaʻlâm H3281 Jaalam
- עילם ʻÊylâm H5867 Elam
- עלמון ʻAlmôwn H5960 Almon
- עלמת ʻÂlemeth H5964 Alemeth
Compare all same-root words → Showing 4 of 11 — not the complete family. 4 of the same-root words are proper names (people or places). They share a root, not necessarily a meaning.
Septuagint verse parallels
This word appears in 347 verses that also exist in the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint), out of the 412 Hebrew verses it occurs in. You can read those verses in Greek by switching the Old Testament edition to the Septuagint.
Read these verses in the Septuagint
- Genesis 3:22
- Exodus 3:15
- Leviticus 3:17
- Numbers 10:8
- Deuteronomy 5:29
- Joshua 4:7
- Judges 2:1
- 1 Samuel 1:22
- 2 Samuel 3:28
- 1 Kings 1:31
- 2 Kings 5:27
- 1 Chronicles 15:2
This is a verse-level parallel only — the same verses exist in both the Hebrew and Greek Old Testaments. No word-level Hebrew↔Greek correspondence is claimed: the data carries no such alignment, so no Greek word is shown as this Hebrew word’s translation. Coverage is not total — the Septuagint omits the deuterocanon and renumbers the Psalms, so some Hebrew verses have no direct Greek parallel.
