Word study
Fall
19 Hebrew and 13 Greek words behind this English word
The original-language words that the Berean Standard Bible translates with one of these: fall, fell, fallen, falls, falling, felled. 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 “fall” 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)
- נָפַל nâphalfall, lietranslated this way 285 times of its 432 uses · Strong’s H5307Verb · Translated: fall 104, fell 77, fallen 54, falls 21Full study and all 403 verses →
Genesis 4:5 but He had no regard for Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry, and his countenance fell.
Exodus 15:16 and terror and dread will fall on them. By the power of Your arm they will be as still as a stone until Your people pass by, O LORD, until the people You have bought pass by.
- הָיָה hâyâhfall out, come to pass, become, betranslated this way 25 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 →
Genesis 7:12 And the rain fell upon the earth for forty days and forty nights.
Exodus 9:18 Behold, at this time tomorrow I will rain down the worst hail that has ever fallen on Egypt, from the day it was founded until now.
- יָרַד yâradcome or go down, descendtranslated this way 14 times of its 372 uses · Strong’s H3381Verb · Translated: went 56, go 55, come 35, came 26Full study and all 341 verses →
Numbers 11:9 When the dew fell on the camp at night, the manna would fall with it.
Deuteronomy 20:20 But you may destroy the trees that you know do not produce fruit. Use them to build siege works against the city that is waging war against you, until it falls.
- נְפַל nephalfalltranslated this way 9 times of its 11 uses · Strong’s H5308Verb · Translated: fall 6, fell 3, occasion 1, came 1Full study and all 11 verses →
Daniel 2:46 At this, King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, paid homage to Daniel, and ordered that an offering and incense be presented to him.
Daniel 3:5 As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.
- כָּשַׁל kâshalstumble, stagger, tottertranslated this way 6 times of its 63 uses · Strong’s H3782Verb · Translated: stumble 23, stumbled 7, fall 5, stumbles 4Full study and all 59 verses →
Proverbs 4:16 For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; they are deprived of slumber until they make someone fall.
Isaiah 40:30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall.
- יָשֵׁן yâshênsleeptranslated this way 4 times of its 19 uses · Strong’s H3462Verb · Translated: sleep 7, fall asleep 2Full study and all 19 verses →
Genesis 41:5 but he fell back asleep and dreamed a second time: Seven heads of grain, plump and ripe, came up on one stalk.
1 Kings 19:5 Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.”
- יָצָא yâtsâgo or come outtranslated this way 4 times of its 1,035 uses · Strong’s H3318Verb · Translated: brought 108, went 103, go 82, came 78Full study and all 975 verses →
Numbers 33:54 And you are to divide the land by lot according to your clans. Give a larger inheritance to a larger clan and a smaller inheritance to a smaller one. Whatever falls to each one by lot will be his. You will receive an inheritance according to the tribes of your fathers.
- בּוֹא bôcome in, come, go in, gotranslated this way 3 times of its 2,442 uses · Strong’s H935Verb · Translated: come 358, came 298, bring 209, brought 201Full study and all 2,217 verses →
- נָבֵל nâbêlbe senseless, foolishtranslated this way 3 times of its 24 uses · Strong’s H5034Verb · Translated: wither 4, fall 3, lose heart 2, fading 2Full study and all 21 verses →
Isaiah 34:4 All the stars of heaven will be dissolved. The skies will be rolled up like a scroll, and all their stars will fall like withered leaves from the vine, like foliage from the fig tree.
Isaiah 40:7 The grass withers and the flowers fall when the breath of the LORD blows on them; indeed, the people are grass.
- רָדַם râdambe in, or fall into, heavy sleeptranslated this way 3 times of its 7 uses · Strong’s H7290Verb · Translated: fell into a deep sleep 3, lay sleeping 1, lie stunned 1, sleeps 1Full study and all 7 verses →
Daniel 8:18 While he was speaking with me, I fell into a deep sleep, with my face to the ground. Then he touched me, helped me to my feet,
Jonah 1:5 The sailors were afraid, and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the ship’s cargo into the sea to lighten the load. But Jonah had gone down to the lowest part of the vessel, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep.
- עַל alheighttranslated this way 2 times of its 4,859 uses · Strong’s H5921Preposition · Translated: on 777, over 297, in 218, against 216Full study and all 3,996 verses →
Genesis 2:21 So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep, and while he slept, He took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the area with flesh.
- רָבַץ râbatsstretch oneself out, lie down, lie stretched outtranslated this way 2 times of its 29 uses · Strong’s H7257Verb · Translated: lie 13, lay 3, lies 2, rest 2Full study and all 29 verses →
Exodus 23:5 If you see the donkey of one who hates you fallen under its load, do not leave it there; you must help him with it.
Deuteronomy 29:20 The LORD will never be willing to forgive him. Instead, His anger and jealousy will burn against that man, and every curse written in this book will fall upon him. The LORD will blot out his name from under heaven
- 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 8Full study and all 144 verses →
2 Kings 9:18 So a horseman rode off to meet Jehu and said, “This is what the king asks: ‘Have you come in peace?’” “What do you know about peace?” Jehu replied. “Fall in behind me.” And the watchman reported, “The messenger reached them, but he is not coming back.”
2 Kings 9:19 So the king sent out a second horseman, who went to them and said, “This is what the king asks: ‘Have you come in peace?’” “What do you know about peace?” Jehu replied. “Fall in behind me.”
- מוֹט môṭtotter, shake, sliptranslated this way 2 times of its 36 uses · Strong’s H4131Verb · Translated: shaken 11, moved 7, fall 2, toppled 2Full study and all 35 verses →
Psalm 13:4 lest my enemy say, “I have overcome him,” and my foes rejoice when I fall.
Psalm 140:10 May burning coals fall on them; may they be thrown into the fire, into the miry pits, never to rise again.
- צֶלַע tselalimping, stumblingtranslated this way 2 times of its 4 uses · Strong’s H6761Noun · Translated: fall 2, side 1, stumbled 1Full study and all 4 verses →
Psalm 38:17 For I am ready to fall, and my pain is ever with me.
Jeremiah 20:10 For I have heard the whispering of many: “Terror is on every side! Report him; let us report him!” All my trusted friends watch for my fall: “Perhaps he will be deceived so that we may prevail against him and take our vengeance upon him.”
- רָפָה râphâhsink, relaxtranslated this way 2 times of its 44 uses · Strong’s H7503Verb · Translated: leave 4, abandon 3, go 3, Withdraw 2Full study and all 43 verses →
Isaiah 13:7 Therefore all hands will fall limp, and every man’s heart will melt.
Zephaniah 3:16 On that day they will say to Jerusalem: “Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands fall limp.
- אָהַב âhablovetranslated this way 2 times of its 210 uses · Strong’s H157Verb · Translated: love 87, loved 36, loves 30, lovers 16Full study and all 197 verses →
Judges 16:4 Some time later, Samson fell in love with a woman in the Valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.
2 Samuel 13:1 After some time, David’s son Amnon fell in love with Tamar, the beautiful sister of David’s son Absalom.
- חָלָה châlâhbe weak, sicktranslated this way 2 times of its 75 uses · Strong’s H2470Verb · Translated: ill 8, sick 8, grievous 5, sought 4Full study and all 73 verses →
1 Samuel 30:13 Then David asked him, “To whom do you belong, and where are you from?” “I am an Egyptian,” he replied, “the slave of an Amalekite. My master abandoned me three days ago when I fell ill.
2 Kings 13:14 When Elisha had fallen sick with the illness from which he would die, Jehoash king of Israel came down to him and wept over him, saying, “My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!”
- כָּרַע kârabow downtranslated this way 2 times of its 35 uses · Strong’s H3766Verb · Translated: bow 5, collapsed 4, bowed 4, crouches 3Full study and all 32 verses →
2 Kings 1:13 So the king sent a third captain with his fifty men. And the third captain went up, fell on his knees before Elijah, and begged him, “Man of God, may my life and the lives of these fifty servants of yours please be precious in your sight.
Ezra 9:5 At the evening offering, I got up from my humiliation with my tunic and cloak torn, and I fell on my knees, spread out my hands to the LORD my God,
Greek words (New Testament)
- πίπτω píptōI fall, fall undertranslated this way 82 times of its 90 uses · Strong’s G4098Verb · Translated: fell 46, fall 17, fallen 8, falls 7Full study and all 86 verses →
Matthew 2:11 On coming to the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.
Mark 4:4 And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it.
- κοιμάω koimáōI fall asleep, am asleeptranslated this way 11 times of its 18 uses · Strong’s G2837Verb · Translated: fallen asleep 8, fell asleep 3, asleep 2, sleeping 2Full study and all 18 verses →
Matthew 27:52 The tombs broke open, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised.
John 11:11 After He had said this, He told them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to wake him up.”
- σκανδαλίζω skandalízōI cause to stumbletranslated this way 10 times of its 29 uses · Strong’s G4624Verb · Translated: fall away 8, causes you to sin 7, causes 3, took offense 2Full study and all 27 verses →
Matthew 11:6 Blessed is the one who does not fall away on account of Me.”
Mark 4:17 But they themselves have no root, and they remain for only a season. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.
- ἐμπίπτω empíptōI fall in, am cast intranslated this way 7 times of its 7 uses · Strong’s G1706Verb · Translated: fall 5, falls 1, fell into the hands 1Full study and all 7 verses →
Matthew 12:11 He replied, “If one of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out?
Luke 6:39 Jesus also told them a parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit?
- προσπίπτω prospíptōI fall down before, beat againsttranslated this way 7 times of its 8 uses · Strong’s G4363Verb · Translated: fell 7, beat 1Full study and all 8 verses →
Mark 3:11 And when the unclean spirits saw Him, they fell down before Him and cried out, “You are the Son of God!”
Luke 5:8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees. “Go away from me, Lord,” he said, “for I am a sinful man.”
- ἐκπίπτω ekpíptōI fall out, fall off, fall away, fade away, wither awaytranslated this way 5 times of its 10 uses · Strong’s G1601Verb · Translated: run aground 3, fall 2Full study and all 10 verses →
Acts 12:7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his wrists.
Galatians 5:4 You who are trying to be justified by the law have been severed from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.
- ἐπιπίπτω epipíptōI fall upon, press upontranslated this way 5 times of its 11 uses · Strong’s G1968Verb · Translated: fell 3, embraced 2, fallen 2Full study and all 11 verses →
Acts 8:16 For the Holy Spirit had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.
Romans 15:3 For even Christ did not please Himself, but as it is written: “The insults of those who insult You have fallen on Me.”
- γίνομαι gínomaiI come into being, am borntranslated this way 4 times of its 544 uses · Strong’s G1096Verb · Translated: become 58, came 42, became 34, happened 28Full study and all 515 verses →
Acts 1:18 (Now with the reward for his wickedness Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong and burst open in the middle, and all his intestines spilled out.
Acts 10:10 He became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance.
- ὑστερέω hysteréōI am lacking, fall short, suffer needtranslated this way 3 times of its 16 uses · Strong’s G5302Verb · Translated: lack 3, need 3Full study and all 16 verses →
Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Hebrews 4:1 Therefore, while the promise of entering His rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be deemed to have fallen short of it.
- καταβαίνω katabaínōI go down, come downtranslated this way 3 times of its 79 uses · Strong’s G2597Verb · Translated: come 16, went 11, came 8, coming 7Full study and all 79 verses →
Matthew 7:25 The rain fell, the torrents raged, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because its foundation was on the rock.
Luke 22:44 And in His anguish, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground.
- ἔρχομαι érchomaiI come, gotranslated this way 2 times of its 619 uses · Strong’s G2064Verb · Translated: come 193, came 128, coming 65, comes 53Full study and all 584 verses →
- καταπίπτω katapíptōI fall downtranslated this way 2 times of its 3 uses · Strong’s G2667Verb · Translated: fell 2, drop 1Full study and all 3 verses →
Luke 8:6 Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the seedlings withered because they had no moisture.
Acts 26:14 We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice say to me in Hebrew,‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
- σιγάω sigáōI keep silenttranslated this way 2 times of its 10 uses · Strong’s G4601Verb · Translated: silent 2, fell silent 2Full study and all 10 verses →
Luke 20:26 And they were unable to trap Him in His words before the people. And amazed at His answer, they fell silent.
Acts 15:12 The whole assembly fell silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul describing the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.
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.