Word study
Keep
34 Hebrew and 16 Greek words behind this English word
The original-language words that the Berean Standard Bible translates with one of these: keep, kept, keeps, keeping. 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 “keep” 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)
- שָׁמַר shâmarkeep, watch, preservetranslated this way 207 times of its 461 uses · Strong’s H8104Verb · Translated: keep 133, careful 39, kept 33, guard 25Full study and all 436 verses →
Genesis 2:15 Then the LORD God took the man and placed him in the Garden of Eden to cultivate and keep it.
Exodus 12:17 So you are to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your divisions out of the land of Egypt. You must keep this day as a permanent statute for the generations to come.
- עָשָׂה âsâhdo, maketranslated this way 20 times of its 2,478 uses · Strong’s H6213Verb · Translated: done 292, made 265, make 143, did 112Full study and all 2,206 verses →
- נָצַר nâtsarwatch, guard, keeptranslated this way 16 times of its 59 uses · Strong’s H5341Verb · Translated: keep 10, guard 9, obey 7, preserve 5Full study and all 58 verses →
Psalm 25:10 All the LORD’s ways are loving and faithful to those who keep His covenant and His decrees.
Proverbs 3:1 My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments;
- שׁוּב shûbturn back, returntranslated this way 5 times of its 1,007 uses · Strong’s H7725Verb · Translated: return 218, returned 105, restore 62, turn 56Full study and all 920 verses →
Genesis 30:31 “What can I give you?” Laban asked. “You do not need to give me anything,” Jacob replied. “If you do this one thing for me, I will keep on shepherding and keeping your flocks.
Judges 5:29 Her wisest ladies answer; indeed she keeps telling herself,
- מִשְׁמֶרֶת mishmerethguard, watchtranslated this way 5 times of its 73 uses · Strong’s H4931Noun · Translated: charge 20, duties 18, responsible 3, service 3Full study and all 66 verses →
Exodus 12:6 You must keep it until the fourteenth day of the month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel will slaughter the animals at twilight.
Numbers 17:10 The LORD said to Moses, “Put Aaron’s staff back in front of the Testimony, to be kept as a sign for the rebellious, so that you may put an end to their grumbling against Me, lest they die.”
- קָדַשׁ qâdashbe set apart, consecratedtranslated this way 5 times of its 169 uses · Strong’s H6942Verb · Translated: consecrate 40, consecrated 33, dedicated 10, sanctifies 8Full study and all 151 verses →
Exodus 20:8 Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
Deuteronomy 5:12 Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the LORD your God has commanded you.
- חָיָה châyâhlivetranslated this way 4 times of its 265 uses · Strong’s H2421Verb · Translated: live 96, lived 24, was 17, revive 14Full study and all 254 verses →
Genesis 6:19 And you are to bring two of every living creature into the ark — male and female — to keep them alive with you.
Joshua 14:10 Now behold, as the LORD promised, He has kept me alive these forty-five years since He spoke this word to Moses, while Israel wandered in the wilderness. So here I am today, eighty-five years old,
- חָרַשׁ chârashcut in, engrave, plough, devisetranslated this way 4 times of its 69 uses · Strong’s H2790Verb · Translated: silent 11, plow 6, plowed 5, quiet 5Full study and all 65 verses →
Job 41:12 I cannot keep silent about his limbs, his power and graceful form.
Psalm 32:3 When I kept silent, my bones became brittle from my groaning all day long.
- בּוֹא bôcome in, come, go in, gotranslated this way 4 times of its 2,442 uses · Strong’s H935Verb · Translated: come 358, came 298, bring 209, brought 201Full study and all 2,217 verses →
- חָשָׁה châshâhbe silent, inactive, stilltranslated this way 4 times of its 15 uses · Strong’s H2814Verb · Translated: silent 4, keep silent 3, speak 2Full study and all 15 verses →
Isaiah 42:14 “I have kept silent from ages past; I have remained quiet and restrained. But now I will groan like a woman in labor; I will at once gasp and pant.
Isaiah 62:1 For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not keep still, until her righteousness shines like a bright light, her salvation like a blazing torch.
- הָלַךְ hâlakgo, come, walktranslated this way 4 times of its 1,461 uses · Strong’s H1980Verb · Translated: go 338, went 173, walk 116, Come 84Full study and all 1,299 verses →
- שׂוּם sûmput, place, settranslated this way 3 times of its 560 uses · Strong’s H7760Verb · Translated: put 84, set 71, make 45, made 39Full study and all 533 verses →
Genesis 32:16 He entrusted them to his servants in separate herds and told them, “Go on ahead of me, and keep some distance between the herds.”
- הָיָה hâyâhfall out, come to pass, become, betranslated this way 3 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 7:17 For forty days the flood kept coming on the earth, and the waters rose and lifted the ark high above the earth.
Genesis 33:9 “I already have plenty, my brother,” Esau replied. “Keep what belongs to you.”
- אָמַר âmarutter, saytranslated this way 3 times of its 4,555 uses · Strong’s H559Verb · Translated: said 1,531, says 576, say 352, replied 341Full study and all 3,827 verses →
- יָתַר yâtharremain overtranslated this way 3 times of its 106 uses · Strong’s H3498Verb · Translated: left 24, rest 12, remaining 11, remainder 8Full study and all 100 verses →
Exodus 16:19 Then Moses said to them, “No one may keep any of it until morning.”
2 Samuel 8:4 David captured from him a thousand chariots, seven thousand charioteers, and twenty thousand foot soldiers, and he hamstrung all the horses except a hundred he kept for the chariots.
- לֹא lônottranslated this way 3 times of its 4,657 uses · Strong’s H3808Adverb · Translated: no 309, not 269, never 218, will not 156Full study and all 3,775 verses →
- קוּם qûmarise, stand up, standtranslated this way 3 times of its 594 uses · Strong’s H6965Verb · Translated: rise 68, got 61, set 44, Get 42Full study and all 570 verses →
- חָמַם châmambe or become warmtranslated this way 3 times of its 20 uses · Strong’s H2552Verb · Translated: warm 4, keep warm 3, grew hot 2, hot 2Full study and all 18 verses →
- שַׁבָּת shabbâthSabbathtranslated this way 3 times of its 105 uses · Strong’s H7676Noun · Translated: Sabbath 67, Sabbaths 28, Keep My Sabbaths 2Full study and all 88 verses →
- כָּסָה kâsâhcovertranslated this way 3 times of its 150 uses · Strong’s H3680Verb · Translated: covered 51, cover 36, covers 16, covering 9Full study and all 148 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 35Full study and all 487 verses →
- מָנַע mânawithhold, hold backtranslated this way 3 times of its 29 uses · Strong’s H4513Verb · Translated: withheld 7, withhold 5, denied 2, withholds 2Full study and all 29 verses →
- יָקַד yâqadbe kindled, burntranslated this way 3 times of its 9 uses · Strong’s H3344Verb · Translated: kept burning 3, burns 2, burn 2, kindled 1Full study and all 9 verses →
- לָקַח lâqachtaketranslated this way 2 times of its 938 uses · Strong’s H3947Verb · Translated: take 247, took 245, taken 40, get 26Full study and all 890 verses →
- נִיר nîrlamptranslated this way 2 times of its 47 uses · Strong’s H5216Noun · Translated: lamps 22, lamp 20, keep the lamps 2, so that 1Full study and all 43 verses →
- רָאָה rââhseetranslated this way 2 times of its 1,266 uses · Strong’s H7200Verb · Translated: see 354, saw 285, seen 124, look 45Full study and all 1,181 verses →
- עָצָר âtsârrestrain, retaintranslated this way 2 times of its 44 uses · Strong’s H6113Verb · Translated: halted 6, slave 5, shut 4, confined 3Full study and all 44 verses →
- רָחַק râchaqbe, or become, far, distanttranslated this way 2 times of its 57 uses · Strong’s H7368Verb · Translated: far 19, far away 6, removed 3, remove 3Full study and all 56 verses →
- חָשַׂךְ châsakwithhold, refraintranslated this way 2 times of its 27 uses · Strong’s H2820Verb · Translated: withheld 3, restrained 3, restrain 2, restrains 2Full study and all 27 verses →
- בָּטַח bâṭachtrusttranslated this way 2 times of its 120 uses · Strong’s H982Verb · Translated: trust 51, trusts 15, trusted 11, trusting 6Full study and all 117 verses →
- הָוָא hâvâcome to pass, become, betranslated this way 2 times of its 51 uses · Strong’s H1934Verb · Translated: he 5, was 4, be 3, happen 3Full study and all 43 verses →
- דָּמַם dâmambe or grow dumb, silent, stilltranslated this way 2 times of its 30 uses · Strong’s H1826Verb · Translated: still 4, silenced 4, rest 3, perish 2Full study and all 29 verses →
- כָּלָא kâlâshut up, restrain, withholdtranslated this way 2 times of its 17 uses · Strong’s H3607Verb · Translated: restrained 3, withhold 2, kept 2, imprisoned 2Full study and all 16 verses →
- כֹּל kôlthe whole, alltranslated this way 2 times of its 5,107 uses · Strong’s H3605Noun · Translated: all 1,589, and all 471, whole 223, every 196Full study and all 4,112 verses →
Greek words (New Testament)
- τηρέω tēréōI keep, guard, observetranslated this way 43 times of its 69 uses · Strong’s G5083Verb · Translated: keep 23, kept 12, keeps 7, held 4Full study and all 63 verses →
- φυλάσσω phylássōI keep, guard, observetranslated this way 12 times of its 31 uses · Strong’s G5442Verb · Translated: guard 7, keep 5, kept 4, obey 2Full study and all 31 verses →
- γρηγορεύω grēgoreúōI am awake, am vigilant, watchtranslated this way 10 times of its 22 uses · Strong’s G1127Verb · Translated: keep watch 9, alert 3, Watch 3, Wake 2Full study and all 22 verses →
- ποιέω poiéōI do, maketranslated this way 7 times of its 544 uses · Strong’s G4160Verb · Translated: do 50, done 44, doing 40, made 34Full study and all 494 verses →
- κρατέω kratéōI lay hold of, obtaintranslated this way 4 times of its 47 uses · Strong’s G2902Verb · Translated: arrest 8, arrested 5, took 4, seized 3Full study and all 46 verses →
- ἔχω échōI have, hold, possesstranslated this way 4 times of its 624 uses · Strong’s G2192Verb · Translated: has 63, have 52, with 35, you have 29Full study and all 560 verses →
- ἔπω épōto speak or say (by word or writing)translated this way 4 times of its 962 uses · Strong’s G2036Verb · Translated: said 426, asked 95, told 88, replied 69Full study and all 891 verses →
- κατά katádown from, against, according to, throughout, duringtranslated this way 4 times of its 381 uses · Strong’s G2596Preposition · Translated: according 65, against 46, in 41, by 38Full study and all 349 verses →
- καθώς kathṓsjust as, astranslated this way 2 times of its 172 uses · Strong’s G2531Adverb · Translated: as 95, just as 42, exactly 5, according 4Full study and all 171 verses →
- κατέχω katéchōI hold fast, bind, restraintranslated this way 2 times of its 17 uses · Strong’s G2722Verb · Translated: hold firmly 2, hold 2Full study and all 17 verses →
- λαλέω laléōI speak, saytranslated this way 2 times of its 291 uses · Strong’s G2980Verb · Translated: speak 69, spoke 36, speaking 31, spoken 27Full study and all 268 verses →
- ἁμαρτάνω hamartánōI sintranslated this way 2 times of its 43 uses · Strong’s G264Verb · Translated: sinned 12, sin 10, sins 5, sinning 4Full study and all 37 verses →
- παρακαλέω parakaléōI summon, entreat, admonish, comforttranslated this way 2 times of its 106 uses · Strong’s G3870Verb · Translated: urge 20, encourage 14, begged 13, urged 7Full study and all 104 verses →
- ζητέω zētéōI seek, search for, desiretranslated this way 2 times of its 117 uses · Strong’s G2212Verb · Translated: seek 17, seeking 14, looking 11, trying 9Full study and all 114 verses →
- κράζω krázōI cry aloud, shriektranslated this way 2 times of its 54 uses · Strong’s G2896Verb · Translated: cried 20, crying 8, shouting 6, shouted 5Full study and all 53 verses →
- ἄξιος áxiosworthy, worthy of, deservingtranslated this way 2 times of its 40 uses · Strong’s G514Adjective · Translated: worthy 32, keeping 2, deserve 2Full study and all 39 verses →
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.