BIBLE STUDY

Useful when trying to locate a verse when you just remember a word or phrase from that verse.
Useful in performing word studies by looking at other passages that might relate.

Recommendations:

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (includes lexicons)
Young's Analytical Concordance (includes lexicons)
Englishman's Hebrew-Chaldee Concordance of the Old Testament
Englishman's Greek Concordance of the New Testament
Cruden's Concordance
On-Line Bible (Free Software for Computers)

USING A LEXICON:

Its principle use is for looking up word definitions.
It provides insight into how else a given word is used in the Bible.

Recommendations:

Strong's
Young's
Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon of the Old Testament
Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament

WHEN HEBREW AND GREEK MAKE A DIFFERENCE:

We read in Genesis that Noah was instructed by God to build an Ark:

"Make yourself an ark of gopher wood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch." Genesis 6:14

Now there are two different words here for "pitch." According to Strong's Concordance, the first occurrence is #3722 and the second one is #3724 (Strong's provides number codes for each Hebrew and Greek word; this makes using the lexicons easier). Looking the word up in Strong's Lexicon we have:

3722 - kaphar, kaw-far'; a prim. root; to cover (spec. with bitumen); fig. to expiate or condone, to placate or cancel: -appease, make (an) atonement, cleanse, disannul, forgive, be merciful, pacify, pardon, purge (away), put off, (make) reconcile (-liation).

3724 - kopher, ko'-fer; from 3722; prop. a cover, i.e. (lit.) a village (as covered in); (spec.) bitumen (as used for coating), and the henna plant (as used for dyeing); fig. a redemption price:- bribe, camphire, pitch, ransom, satisfaction, sum of money, village.

In the case of the Ark the word is 3722. Note the connection with the idea of atonement, mercy and forgiveness. The Ark was the refuge by which Noah was saved from the flood.

Another example . . .

"So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, 'Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?' He said to Him, 'Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.' He said to him, 'Feed My lambs.' He said to him again a second time, 'Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?' He said to Him, 'Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.' He said to him, 'Tend My sheep.' He said to him the third time, 'Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?' Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, 'Do you love Me?' And he said to Him, 'Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.' Jesus said to him, 'Feed My sheep.'" John 21:15-17

Two different words are used for "love" in this passage. Christ uses one and Peter another. Christ uses #25 and Peter #5368. In Strong's Concordance we have:

25 - agapao, ag-ap-ah'-o; perh. from agan (much) [or comp. 5689]; to love (in a social or moral sense):- (be-) love (ed). Comp. 5368

5368 - phileo, fil'-eh'-o; from 5384; to be a friend to (fond of [an individual or an object]), i.e. have affection for (denoting personal attachment, as a matter of sentiment or feeling.

Peter is saying he loved Christ as a friend, somebody of whom he was fond and valued. However the word Christ used #25 is embracing especially the judgment and the deliberate assent of the will as a matter of principle, duty and propriety. A display of love in a moral sense. The two words thus stand related but one is of the heart involving sentiment, the other the head involving reason. Love for Christ should embrace both aspects, an appreciation and love of the high moral qualities and attributes displayed in Jesus and arising from that a deep and abiding affection because of all he has accomplished.

In addition to the concordances and lexicons that we have already considered, there are also many other works of a more general nature that can prove helpful in your reading and study of God's Word. Below are a few suggestions.

BIBLE DICTIONARIES

Unger's Bible Dictionary
Smith's Bible Dictionary
Nelson's Expository Dictionary of the Old Testament
Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words

BIBLE ATLASES

The Macmillan Bible Atlas
The Oxford Bible Atlas
The NIV Bible Atlas
The Harper Atlas of the Bible

BIBLE HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGY

The Bible as History (Werner Keller)
Old Testament Bible History (Alfred Edersheim)
The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah (Alfred Edersheim)
Josephus

COMMENTARIES

Speaker's
Pulpit
Eerdman's Bible Handbook
Halley's Bible Handbook

GENERAL

Harper's Encyclopedia of Bible Life
Nave's Topical Bible
Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
Harmony of the Gospels (Robertson)

A WORD OF CAUTION

Commentaries, dictionaries and encyclopaedias are the work of uninspired men and women commenting about inspired scripture passages. Such books are very useful as works of reference, but they should always be read carefully with an eye towards the potential for personal bias. Never place total confidence in these writings. Verify or disprove what they suggest for yourself, from the Scriptures.