todo toda todos todas

Question

I am reading he Bible in Spanish and it is a great way to learn new words and grammar. But sometimes I wonder if the way the Bible uses certain words is poetic instead of coversational. Can any advanced or native speakers comment on phrases like these?

toda ser viviente - all living things - why not todas seres vivientes? (Apoc. 16:3)

toda lagrima - all tears - why not todas las lagrimas? (Apoc. 21:4)

todo el que mate - all those who kill - why not todos los que matem? (Mat. 5:21)

Answer 1

I think the first should be "todo ser viviente" -- every living thing.

I think you could say phrases like this both ways, in both English and Spanish, for example:

Todo ser viviente = every living thing

Todos seres vivientes = all living things

Toda lagrima = every tear

Todas las lagrimas = all tears

Todo el que mate = Every one who kills

Todos los que maten = All those who kill

Answer 2

So if it's todo or toda with no article and a singular noun, it means Every and if it's todos or todas with a article and a plural noun it means All.