Word study

Carry

24 Hebrew and 8 Greek words behind this English word

The original-language words that the Berean Standard Bible translates with one of these: carried, carry, carrying, carries. 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 “carry” 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)

  • נָשָׂא nâsâlift, take, carrytranslated this way 119 times of its 642 uses · Strong’s H5375Verb  ·  Translated: bear 49, lift 45, lifted 41, carried 38

    Genesis 37:25 And as they sat down to eat a meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were carrying spices, balm, and myrrh on their way down to Egypt.

    Exodus 10:19 And the LORD changed the wind to a very strong west wind that carried off the locusts and blew them into the Red Sea. Not a single locust remained anywhere in Egypt.

    Full study and all 601 verses →
  • עָשָׂה âsâhdo, maketranslated this way 33 times of its 2,478 uses · Strong’s H6213Verb  ·  Translated: done 292, made 265, make 143, did 112

    Genesis 41:32 Moreover, because the dream was given to Pharaoh in two versions, the matter has been decreed by God, and He will carry it out shortly.

    Exodus 36:1 “So Bezalel, Oholiab, and every skilled person are to carry out everything commanded by the LORD, who has given them skill and ability to know how to perform all the work of constructing the sanctuary.”

    Full study and all 2,206 verses →
  • גָּלָה gâlâhuncover, removetranslated this way 23 times of its 170 uses · Strong’s H1540Verb  ·  Translated: revealed 14, uncovered 13, exiled 12, sexual relations 11

    2 Kings 17:6 In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and carried away the Israelites to Assyria, where he settled them in Halah, in Gozan by the Habor River, and in the cities of the Medes.

    1 Chronicles 5:6 and Beerah his son, whom Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria carried into exile. Beerah was a leader of the Reubenites.

    Full study and all 161 verses →
  • בּוֹא bôcome in, come, go in, gotranslated this way 16 times of its 2,442 uses · Strong’s H935Verb  ·  Translated: come 358, came 298, bring 209, brought 201Full study and all 2,217 verses →
  • לָקַח lâqachtaketranslated this way 10 times of its 938 uses · Strong’s H3947Verb  ·  Translated: take 247, took 245, taken 40, get 26

    Genesis 14:12 They also carried off Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions, since Lot was living in Sodom.

    Genesis 22:6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac. He himself carried the fire and the sacrificial knife, and the two of them walked on together.

    Full study and all 890 verses →
  • קוּם qûmarise, stand up, standtranslated this way 10 times of its 594 uses · Strong’s H6965Verb  ·  Translated: rise 68, got 61, set 44, Get 42

    Deuteronomy 25:6 The first son she bears will carry on the name of the dead brother, so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel.

    1 Samuel 3:12 On that day I will carry out against Eli everything I have spoken about his house, from beginning to end.

    Full study and all 570 verses →
  • מַשָּׂא massâload, burden, lifting, bearing, tributetranslated this way 9 times of its 64 uses · Strong’s H4853Noun  ·  Translated: burden 35, load 7, carry 5, burdens 2

    Numbers 4:19 In order that they may live and not die when they come near the most holy things, do this for them: Aaron and his sons are to go in and assign each man his task and what he is to carry.

    2 Kings 5:17 “If you will not,” said Naaman, “please let me, your servant, be given as much soil as a pair of mules can carry. For your servant will never again make a burnt offering or a sacrifice to any other god but the LORD.

    Full study and all 60 verses →
  • בָּזַז bâzazspoil, plundertranslated this way 8 times of its 42 uses · Strong’s H962Verb  ·  Translated: plunder 12, plundered 8, carried 3, carry 2

    Deuteronomy 3:7 But all the livestock and plunder of the cities we carried off for ourselves.

    Joshua 8:2 And you shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king, except that you may carry off their plunder and livestock for yourselves. Set up an ambush behind the city.”

    Full study and all 38 verses →
  • עָלָה âlâhgo up, ascend, climbtranslated this way 7 times of its 873 uses · Strong’s H5927Verb  ·  Translated: go 118, went 107, brought 56, come 42

    Genesis 50:25 And Joseph made the sons of Israel take an oath and said, “God will surely attend to you, and then you must carry my bones up from this place.”

    Exodus 13:19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him because Joseph had made the sons of Israel swear a solemn oath when he said, “God will surely attend to you, and then you must carry my bones with you from this place.”

    Full study and all 807 verses →
  • שָׁבָה shâbâhtake captivetranslated this way 6 times of its 46 uses · Strong’s H7617Verb  ·  Translated: captives 6, captors 6, captured 5, taken captive 5

    Genesis 34:29 They carried off all their possessions and women and children, and they plundered everything in their houses.

    2 Chronicles 14:15 They also attacked the tents of the herdsmen and carried off many sheep and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem.

    Full study and all 41 verses →
  • יָצָא yâtsâgo or come outtranslated this way 5 times of its 1,035 uses · Strong’s H3318Verb  ·  Translated: brought 108, went 103, go 82, came 78

    Leviticus 6:11 Then he must take off his garments, put on other clothes, and carry the ashes outside the camp to a ceremonially clean place.

    Full study and all 975 verses →
  • שָׁמַר shâmarkeep, watch, preservetranslated this way 3 times of its 461 uses · Strong’s H8104Verb  ·  Translated: keep 133, careful 39, kept 33, guard 25

    Numbers 3:10 So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out the duties of the priesthood; but any outsider who approaches the tabernacle must be put to death.”

    2 Chronicles 13:11 Every morning and every evening they present burnt offerings and fragrant incense to the LORD. They set out the rows of showbread on the ceremonially clean table, and every evening they light the lamps of the gold lampstand. We are carrying out the requirements of the LORD our God, while you have forsaken Him.

    Full study and all 436 verses →
  • עָבַר âbarpass over, through, by, pass ontranslated this way 3 times of its 542 uses · Strong’s H5674Verb  ·  Translated: pass 62, crossed 57, cross 52, passed 35

    Joshua 4:3 and command them: ‘Take up for yourselves twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan where the priests were standing, carry them with you, and set them down in the place where you spend the night.’”

    Joshua 4:8 Thus the Israelites did as Joshua had commanded them. They took up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, one for each tribe of Israel, just as the LORD had told Joshua; and they carried them to the camp, where they set them down.

    Full study and all 487 verses →
  • עֲבַד ăbaddo, make, preparetranslated this way 3 times of its 25 uses · Strong’s H5648Verb  ·  Translated: made 4, done 4, carried 3, cut 2

    Ezra 5:8 Let it be known to the king that we went into the province of Judah, to the house of the great God. The people are rebuilding it with large stones and placing timbers in the walls. This work is being carried out diligently and is prospering in their hands.

    Ezra 6:12 May God, who has caused His Name to dwell there, overthrow any king or people who lifts a hand to alter this decree or to destroy this house of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have issued the decree. Let it be carried out with diligence.

    Full study and all 23 verses →
  • יָבַל yâbalconduct, bear alongtranslated this way 3 times of its 18 uses · Strong’s H2986Verb  ·  Translated: bring 5, led 4, carried 3

    Job 10:19 If only I had never come to be, but had been carried from the womb to the grave.

    Hosea 10:6 Yes, it will be carried to Assyria as tribute to the great king. Ephraim will be seized with shame; Israel will be ashamed of its wooden idols.

    Full study and all 18 verses →
  • יָרַד yâradcome or go down, descendtranslated this way 2 times of its 372 uses · Strong’s H3381Verb  ·  Translated: went 56, go 55, come 35, came 26

    Genesis 43:11 Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your packs and carry them down as a gift for the man — a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachios and almonds.

    Deuteronomy 1:25 They took some of the fruit of the land in their hands, carried it down to us, and brought us word: “It is a good land that the LORD our God is giving us.”

    Full study and all 341 verses →
  • סָבַב sâbabturn about, go around, surroundtranslated this way 2 times of its 153 uses · Strong’s H5437Verb  ·  Translated: turned 16, surrounded 13, surround 10, turn 8

    Joshua 6:11 So he had the ark of the LORD carried around the city, circling it once. And the people returned to the camp and spent the night there.

    1 Samuel 5:8 So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and asked, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” “It must be moved to Gath,” they replied. So they carried away the ark of the God of Israel.

    Full study and all 144 verses →
  • נָהַג nâhagdrive, conducttranslated this way 2 times of its 30 uses · Strong’s H5090Verb  ·  Translated: led 4, drive 3, drove 2, driving 2

    1 Samuel 23:5 Then David and his men went to Keilah, fought against the Philistines, and carried off their livestock, striking them with a mighty blow. So David saved the people of Keilah.

    1 Samuel 30:2 They had taken captive the women and all who were there, both young and old. They had not killed anyone, but had carried them off as they went on their way.

    Full study and all 30 verses →
  • רָכַב râkabmount and ride, ridetranslated this way 2 times of its 77 uses · Strong’s H7392Verb  ·  Translated: riding 12, ride 9, mounted 6, rider 5

    2 Kings 9:28 Then his servants carried him by chariot to Jerusalem and buried him with his fathers in his tomb in the City of David.

    1 Chronicles 13:7 So they carried the ark of God from the house of Abinadab on a new cart, with Uzzah and Ahio guiding the cart.

    Full study and all 74 verses →
  • כּוּן kûnbe firmtranslated this way 2 times of its 213 uses · Strong’s H3559Verb  ·  Translated: established 43, prepared 23, prepare 16, establish 15

    2 Chronicles 8:16 Thus all the work of Solomon was carried out, from the day the foundation was laid for the house of the LORD until it was finished. So the house of the LORD was completed.

    2 Chronicles 35:16 So on that day the entire service of the LORD was carried out for celebrating the Passover and offering burnt offerings on the altar of the LORD, according to the command of King Josiah.

    Full study and all 204 verses →
  • יְבַל yebalbringtranslated this way 2 times of its 4 uses · Strong’s H2987Verb  ·  Translated: carried 2, Moreover 1, take 1

    Ezra 5:14 He also removed from the temple of Babylon the gold and silver articles belonging to the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken and carried there from the temple in Jerusalem. King Cyrus gave these articles to a man named Sheshbazzar, whom he appointed governor

    Ezra 6:5 Furthermore, the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem and carried to Babylon, must also be returned to the temple in Jerusalem and deposited in the house of God.

    Full study and all 3 verses →
  • סָבַל sâbalbeartranslated this way 2 times of its 9 uses · Strong’s H5445Verb  ·  Translated: bear 3

    Isaiah 46:7 They lift it to their shoulder and carry it along; they set it in its place, and there it stands, not budging from that spot. They cry out to it, but it does not answer; it saves no one from his troubles.

    Isaiah 53:4 Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows; yet we considered Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted.

    Full study and all 8 verses →
  • מוֹט môṭshaking, pole, bar (of yoke)translated this way 2 times of its 6 uses · Strong’s H4132Noun  ·  Translated: carrying frame 2, pole 1, slipping 1, slip 1

    Numbers 4:10 Then they shall wrap it and all its utensils inside a covering of fine leather and put it on the carrying frame.

    Numbers 4:12 They are to take all the utensils for serving in the sanctuary, place them in a blue cloth, cover them with fine leather, and put them on the carrying frame.

    Full study and all 6 verses →
  • הָלַךְ hâlakgo, come, walktranslated this way 2 times of its 1,461 uses · Strong’s H1980Verb  ·  Translated: go 338, went 173, walk 116, Come 84Full study and all 1,299 verses →

Greek words (New Testament)

How to study a word well
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Look at how it is translated. A word rendered five different ways has a wider meaning than any one English word can carry.
  4. 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.
  5. See what it keeps company with. The words that appear beside it again and again show how the Bible itself connects ideas.
  6. Then read the dictionaries. They give the considered view of scholars, with their evidence.
  7. 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.