Word study
Break
25 Hebrew and 13 Greek words behind this English word
The original-language words that the Berean Standard Bible translates with one of these: broken, break, broke, breaking, breaks. English often uses one word where Hebrew or Greek has several, each with its own shade of meaning. Under each word are verses where it is translated this way; choose the word itself for its full study: every verse, how else it is translated, the forms it takes and what the dictionaries say.
At a glance
How often each original word is translated “break” or one of its forms.
Compare the Hebrew words side by side Compare the Greek words side by side
Hebrew and Aramaic words (Old Testament)
- שָׁבַר shâbarbreak, break in piecestranslated this way 69 times of its 146 uses · Strong’s H7665Verb · Translated: broken 32, shattered 23, break 21, broke 10Full study and all 142 verses →
Genesis 19:9 “Get out of the way!” they replied. And they declared, “This one came here as a foreigner, and he is already acting like a judge! Now we will treat you worse than them.” And they pressed in on Lot and moved in to break down the door.
Exodus 12:46 It must be eaten inside one house. You are not to take any of the meat outside the house, and you may not break any of the bones.
- פָּרַר pârarbreak, frustratetranslated this way 24 times of its 47 uses · Strong’s H6565Verb · Translated: break 11, broken 7, nullifies 3, thwart 3Full study and all 46 verses →
Genesis 17:14 But if any male is not circumcised, he will be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.”
Leviticus 26:15 and if you reject My statutes, despise My ordinances, and neglect to carry out all My commandments, and so break My covenant,
- פָּרַץ pâratsbreak throughtranslated this way 20 times of its 49 uses · Strong’s H6555Verb · Translated: broken 7, break 5, broke 3, spread 2Full study and all 48 verses →
Genesis 38:29 But when he pulled his hand back and his brother came out, she said, “You have broken out first!” So he was named Perez.
Exodus 19:22 Even the priests who approach the LORD must consecrate themselves, or the LORD will break out against them.”
- בָּגַד bâgadact or deal treacherouslytranslated this way 7 times of its 46 uses · Strong’s H898Verb · Translated: faithless 11, betrayed 6, unfaithful 5, broken faith 3Full study and all 38 verses →
Exodus 21:8 If she is displeasing in the eyes of her master who had designated her for himself, he must allow her to be redeemed. He has no right to sell her to foreigners, since he has broken faith with her.
1 Samuel 14:33 Then someone reported to Saul: “Look, the troops are sinning against the LORD by eating meat with the blood still in it.” “You have broken faith,” said Saul. “Roll a large stone over here at once.”
- פָּרַח pârachbud, sprout, shoottranslated this way 7 times of its 33 uses · Strong’s H6524Verb · Translated: flourish 6, budded 3, broken 3, sprout 3Full study and all 32 verses →
Exodus 9:9 It will become fine dust over all the land of Egypt, and festering boils will break out on man and beast throughout the land.”
Leviticus 13:12 But if the skin disease breaks out all over his skin so that it covers all the skin of the infected person from head to foot, as far as the priest can see,
- בָּקַע bâqacleave, break open or throughtranslated this way 7 times of its 51 uses · Strong’s H1234Verb · Translated: split 7, breached 4, divided 3, burst forth 2Full study and all 50 verses →
2 Samuel 23:16 So the three mighty men broke through the Philistine camp, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out to the LORD,
2 Kings 3:26 When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too fierce for him, he took with him seven hundred swordsmen to break through to the king of Edom, but they could not prevail.
- פָּצַח pâtsachcause to break or burst forth, break forth withtranslated this way 7 times of its 8 uses · Strong’s H6476Verb · Translated: break forth 4, break 1, Break forth in joy 1, burst 1Full study and all 8 verses →
Psalm 98:4 Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth — let your cry ring out, and sing praises!
Isaiah 14:7 All the earth is at peace and at rest; they break out in song.
- נָתַק nâthaqpull, draw, tear away, apart, offtranslated this way 5 times of its 26 uses · Strong’s H5423Verb · Translated: broken 4, torn 3, snapped 3, tear 3Full study and all 25 verses →
Job 17:11 My days have passed; my plans are broken off — even the desires of my heart.
Psalm 2:3 “Let us break Their chains and cast away Their cords.”
- עָרַף âraphbreak the necktranslated this way 4 times of its 6 uses · Strong’s H6202Verb · Translated: break its neck 2, neck 2, neck has been broken 1, break 1Full study and all 6 verses →
Exodus 13:13 You must redeem every firstborn donkey with a lamb, and if you do not redeem it, you are to break its neck. And every firstborn of your sons you must redeem.
Deuteronomy 21:6 Then all the elders of the city nearest the victim shall wash their hands by the stream over the heifer whose neck has been broken,
- הָרַס hârasthrow down, break or tear downtranslated this way 4 times of its 42 uses · Strong’s H2040Verb · Translated: demolish 7, tear 6, torn 6, destroyed 5Full study and all 42 verses →
Exodus 19:21 and the LORD said to him, “Go down and warn the people not to break through to see the LORD, lest many of them perish.
Proverbs 24:31 Thorns had grown up everywhere, thistles had covered the ground, and the stone wall was broken down.
- נָתַץ nâthatspull down, break downtranslated this way 4 times of its 42 uses · Strong’s H5422Verb · Translated: tear 11, torn 10, tore 8, broke 4Full study and all 41 verses →
2 Kings 25:10 And the whole army of the Chaldeans under the captain of the guard broke down the walls around Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 36:19 Then the Chaldeans set fire to the house of God and broke down the wall of Jerusalem. They burned down all the palaces and destroyed every article of value.
- פָּתַח pâthachopentranslated this way 3 times of its 141 uses · Strong’s H6605Verb · Translated: open 50, opened 40, engrave 4, opens 3Full study and all 133 verses →
Psalm 116:16 Truly, O LORD, I am Your servant; I am Your servant, the son of Your maidservant; You have broken my bonds.
Isaiah 58:6 Isn’t this the fast that I have chosen: to break the chains of wickedness, to untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and tear off every yoke?
- חָתַת châthathbe shattered, dismayedtranslated this way 3 times of its 52 uses · Strong’s H2865Verb · Translated: dismayed 11, discouraged 10, shattered 10, terrified 7Full study and all 46 verses →
Isaiah 51:7 Listen to Me, you who know what is right, you people with My law in your hearts: Do not fear the scorn of men; do not be broken by their insults.
Jeremiah 50:2 “Announce and declare to the nations; lift up a banner and proclaim it; hold nothing back when you say, ‘Babylon is captured; Bel is put to shame; Marduk is shattered, her images are disgraced, her idols are broken in pieces.’
- נָסַע nâsapull out or up, set out, journeytranslated this way 3 times of its 146 uses · Strong’s H5265Verb · Translated: set 91, journeyed 4, moved 4, pulled 4Full study and all 139 verses →
Joshua 3:14 So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carried the ark of the covenant ahead of them.
2 Kings 19:36 So Sennacherib king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there.
- הָיָה hâyâhfall out, come to pass, become, betranslated this way 2 times of its 2,848 uses · Strong’s H1961Verb · Translated: will be 206, become 178, came 169, was 151Full study and all 2,573 verses →
- שֶׁבֶר sheberbreaking, fracture, crushing, breach, crashtranslated this way 2 times of its 44 uses · Strong’s H7667Noun · Translated: destruction 17, wound 4, brokenness 3, broken 2Full study and all 42 verses →
Leviticus 21:19 no man who has a broken foot or hand,
Isaiah 65:14 My servants will shout for joy with a glad heart, but you will cry out with a heavy heart and wail with a broken spirit.
- כָּרַת kârathcut off, cut downtranslated this way 2 times of its 284 uses · Strong’s H3772Verb · Translated: cut 144, made 47, make 28, fail 7Full study and all 276 verses →
1 Samuel 5:4 But when they got up early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on his face before the ark of the LORD, with his head and his hands broken off and lying on the threshold. Only the torso remained.
- חָבַל châbalbind, pledgetranslated this way 2 times of its 25 uses · Strong’s H2254Verb · Translated: destroy 3, security 2, broken 2, get collateral 2Full study and all 23 verses →
Job 17:1 “My spirit is broken; my days are extinguished; the grave awaits me.
Isaiah 10:27 On that day the burden will be lifted from your shoulders, and the yoke from your neck. The yoke will be broken because your neck will be too large.
- נָכֵא nâkêstrickentranslated this way 2 times of its 4 uses · Strong’s H5218Adjective · Translated: broken 2, crushes 1, stricken 1Full study and all 4 verses →
Proverbs 17:22 A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.
Proverbs 18:14 The spirit of a man can endure his sickness, but who can survive a broken spirit?
- רָעַע râabe evil, badtranslated this way 2 times of its 97 uses · Strong’s H7489Verb · Translated: wicked 9, harm 8, evil 8, evildoers 8Full study and all 97 verses →
Psalm 2:9 You will break them with an iron scepter; You will shatter them like pottery.”
Isaiah 24:19 The earth is utterly broken apart, the earth is split open, the earth is shaken violently.
- נִיר nîrbreak up, freshly tilltranslated this way 2 times of its 2 uses · Strong’s H5214Verb · Translated: Break 2Full study and all 2 verses →
Jeremiah 4:3 For this is what the LORD says to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: “Break up your unplowed ground, and do not sow among the thorns.
Hosea 10:12 Sow for yourselves righteousness and reap the fruit of loving devotion; break up your unplowed ground. For it is time to seek the LORD until He comes and sends righteousness upon you like rain.
- יָצָא yâtsâgo or come outtranslated this way 2 times of its 1,035 uses · Strong’s H3318Verb · Translated: brought 108, went 103, go 82, came 78Full study and all 975 verses →
Exodus 22:6 If a fire breaks out and spreads to thornbushes so that it consumes stacked or standing grain, or the whole field, the one who started the fire must make full restitution.
- פּוּחַ pûachbreathe, blowtranslated this way 2 times of its 14 uses · Strong’s H6315Verb · Translated: utters 2, breaks 2, Breathe 2Full study and all 14 verses →
Song of Solomon 2:17 Before the day breaks and shadows flee, turn, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of Bether.
Song of Solomon 4:6 Before the day breaks and the shadows flee, I will make my way to the mountain of myrrh and to the hill of frankincense.
- שׁוּב shûbturn back, returntranslated this way 2 times of its 1,007 uses · Strong’s H7725Verb · Translated: return 218, returned 105, restore 62, turn 56Full study and all 920 verses →
- מַחְתֶּרֶת machterethbreaking in, burglarytranslated this way 2 times of its 2 uses · Strong’s H4290Noun · Translated: breaking 2Full study and all 2 verses →
Exodus 22:2 If a thief is caught breaking in and is beaten to death, no one shall be guilty of bloodshed.
Jeremiah 2:34 Moreover, your skirts are stained with the blood of the innocent poor, though you did not find them breaking in. But in spite of all these things
Greek words (New Testament)
- κλάω kláōI breaktranslated this way 14 times of its 14 uses · Strong’s G2806Verb · Translated: broke 11, break 3Full study and all 14 verses →
Matthew 14:19 And He directed the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He spoke a blessing. Then He broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.
Mark 8:6 And He instructed the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then He took the seven loaves, gave thanks and broke them, and gave them to His disciples to set before the people. And they distributed them to the crowd.
- κλάσμα klásmaa fragmenttranslated this way 7 times of its 9 uses · Strong’s G2801Noun · Translated: broken pieces 6, pieces 2, broken pieces of bread 1Full study and all 9 verses →
Matthew 14:20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.
Mark 6:43 and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish.
- λύω lýōI loose, untie, release, destroytranslated this way 6 times of its 42 uses · Strong’s G3089Verb · Translated: untie 8, released 7, untying 4, broken 3Full study and all 39 verses →
Matthew 5:19 So then, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do likewise will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever practices and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
John 5:18 Because of this, the Jews tried all the harder to kill Him. Not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but He was even calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.
- γίνομαι gínomaiI come into being, am borntranslated this way 5 times of its 544 uses · Strong’s G1096Verb · Translated: become 58, came 42, became 34, happened 28Full study and all 515 verses →
Matthew 27:24 When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but that instead a riot was breaking out, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “You bear the responsibility.”
- διορύσσω diorýssōI dig through, break throughtranslated this way 4 times of its 4 uses · Strong’s G1358Verb · Translated: break 2, broken 2Full study and all 4 verses →
Matthew 6:19 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
Luke 12:39 But understand this: If the homeowner had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.
- κατάγνυμι katágnymiI break in piecestranslated this way 4 times of its 4 uses · Strong’s G2608Verb · Translated: break 2, broken 1, broke 1Full study and all 4 verses →
Matthew 12:20 A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not extinguish, till He leads justice to victory.
John 19:31 It was the day of Preparation, and the next day was a High Sabbath. In order that the bodies would not remain on the cross during the Sabbath, the Jews asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies removed.
- ἐκκλάω ekkláōI break offtranslated this way 3 times of its 3 uses · Strong’s G1575Verb · Translated: broken 3Full study and all 3 verses →
Romans 11:17 Now if some branches have been broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others to share in the nourishment of the olive root,
Romans 11:19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.”
- συνθλάω synthláōI break, break in piecestranslated this way 2 times of its 2 uses · Strong’s G4917Verb · Translated: broken to pieces 2Full study and all 2 verses →
Matthew 21:44 He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”
Luke 20:18 Everyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”
- συντρίβω syntríbōI break by crushingtranslated this way 2 times of its 7 uses · Strong’s G4937Verb · Translated: bruised 1, shattered 1, broke open 1, keeps mauling 1Full study and all 7 verses →
Mark 14:3 While Jesus was in Bethany reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke open the jar and poured it on Jesus’ head.
John 19:36 Now these things happened so that the Scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of His bones will be broken.”
- παραβαίνω parabaínōI transgresstranslated this way 2 times of its 3 uses · Strong’s G3845Verb · Translated: break 2, abandoned 1Full study and all 3 verses →
Matthew 15:2 “Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They do not wash their hands before they eat.”
Matthew 15:3 Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?
- κατακλάω katakláōI break in piecestranslated this way 2 times of its 2 uses · Strong’s G2622Verb · Translated: broke 2Full study and all 2 verses →
Mark 6:41 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, Jesus spoke a blessing and broke the loaves. Then He gave them to His disciples to set before the people. And He divided the two fish among them all.
Luke 9:16 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, Jesus spoke a blessing and broke them. Then He gave them to the disciples to set before the people.
- ἐπιβάλλω epibállōI throw upon, lay, strike upontranslated this way 2 times of its 18 uses · Strong’s G1911Verb · Translated: seized 4, sews 2, laid 2Full study and all 18 verses →
Mark 4:37 Soon a violent windstorm came up, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was being swamped.
Mark 14:72 And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” And he broke down and wept.
- κλάσις klásisa breakingtranslated this way 2 times of its 2 uses · Strong’s G2800Noun · Translated: breaking 2Full study and all 2 verses →
Luke 24:35 Then the two told what had happened on the road, and how they had recognized Jesus in the breaking of the bread.
Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
How to study a word well
- Start from the verse, not the dictionary. Find which Hebrew or Greek word stands in the verse you are studying. One English word often translates several different original words.
- Read every place the word is used. A word means what its writers used it to mean. The list of verses and the count by book show its range, and who uses it most.
- Look at how it is translated. A word rendered five different ways has a wider meaning than any one English word can carry.
- Notice the form. A command is not a statement, and a passive verb is something done to the subject. The form in your verse is part of the meaning.
- See what it keeps company with. The words that appear beside it again and again show how the Bible itself connects ideas.
- Then read the dictionaries. They give the considered view of scholars, with their evidence.
- Come back to the verse. Context decides. A word does not carry every one of its meanings into every verse, and where a word came from does not settle what it means in a sentence written centuries later.
Scripture text and translation counts: Berean Standard Bible. Full entry: Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906, public domain), in the digital edition Brown-Driver-Briggs Enhanced by unfoldingWord (Joel Ruark, J. de Joode), based on data by Eliran Wong and Stephen Ku; its additions are used under CC BY 4.0. Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary: Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible Project, CC BY 4.0. Hebrew-to-English verse numbering: original work of the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible available at https://github.com/openscriptures/morphhb, CC BY 4.0. We reformatted the data, linked the references to this site’s Bible text and left out words in other scripts that the source holds only as images. These are historical reference works; an entry gives its authors’ view, and a word’s meaning in any verse depends on how it is used there.