Hebrew noun (masculine) · H4912
מָשָׁל
mashalmaw-shawl'
proverb
39 uses in the Hebrew text, one for each word STEP Bible has tagged with this key
Concordance spelling: mâshâl
Word page · Part of the concordance, one page for every word of the Hebrew and Greek text. Strong's H4912is this word's number in James Strong's 1890 index of the King James Bible.
- 14 of 39Old Testament books
- 26spellings
The definition in full
Strong's key (1890) · H4912
properly, a pithy maxim, usually of metaphorical nature; hence, a simile (as an adage, poem, discourse)
The King James renders it: byword, like, parable, proverb.
James Strong, The Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890), public domain. Strong indexed the King James text, and this site quotes his entry as that index.
Summary
mashal is rendered "proverb". It stands 39 times in the Hebrew text, across fourteen books.
- Eight of the uses stand in Ezekiel, more than in any other book.
- Its first use in canonical order opens the ledger below.Numbers 23:7And Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: “Balak brought me from Aram, the king of Moab from the mountains of the east. ‘Come,’ he said, ‘put a curse on Jacob for me; come and denounce Israel!’
- The Greek text spells it twenty-six different ways.
The first use
And Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: “Balak brought me from Aram, the king of Moab from the mountains of the east. ‘Come,’ he said, ‘put a curse on Jacob for me; come and denounce Israel!’
Numbers 23:7מְשָׁל֖וֹ
The first use, in the order of the Old Testament's books.
Where the word stands
The word stands in fourteen of the 39 Old Testament books.
What the word means
Each meaning, and the words it is translated by
How the Greek text is glossed, word by word
- oracle his7
- into a byword4
- proverbs of4
- the proverb4
- a parable2
- a saying2
- and a proverb2
- discourse his2
- a byword1
- a proverb1
- and into a byword1
- and into bywords1
and 8 more, 39 uses in all
The words built on the same word-part
Each word below begins with the same letters this one begins with. A shared word-part shows a family. It does not settle what any one of them means, so each word carries its own uses on its own page. Scholars call that shared part the stem.
| Word | Written | Meaning | Uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| מָשָׁה | mashah | to draw | Uses3 |
Other numbers on this spelling
Strong gave these words the same spelling and different numbers, so the site counts and defines them apart.
The words it stands beside
All 39, in canonical order
Every use, in order
Every use, grouped by book, with its verse.
26 spellings and their grammar
STEP Bible tags every word of the Hebrew and Greek text with its spelling and its grammar. Both lists below count the rows printed underneath, written out in English, with the code beside each one as it was tagged.
How it is spelled
- מְשָׁל֖וֹ7
- הַמָּשָׁ֥ל2
- הַמָּשָׁ֣ל2
- וּ֝מָשָׁ֗ל2
- לְמָשָׁ֥ל2
- מָ֭שָׁל2
- מָשָׁ֑ל2
- מְשָׁל֗וֹ2
- בְמָשָׁ֣ל1
- הַמָּשָׁ֤ל1
- וּלְמָשָׁל֙1
- וְלִמְשָׁלִ֔ים1
and 14 more spellings in the ledger below.
The grammar of each form
- noun · masculine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine singular9HNcmsc/Sp3ms
- noun · masculine singular7HNcmsa
- preposition + noun · masculine singular7HR/Ncmsa
- the definite article (“the”) + noun · masculine singular5HTd/Ncmsa
- noun · masculine plural · in construct (“…of”)4HNcmpc
- conjunction (“and”) + noun · masculine singular2HC/Ncmsa
- noun · masculine plural2HNcmpa
- conjunction (“and”) + preposition + noun · masculine plural1HC/R/Ncmpa
- conjunction (“and”) + preposition + noun · masculine singular1HC/R/Ncmsa
- noun · masculine singular · in construct (“…of”)1HNcmsc
Numbers
seven uses
And Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: “Balak brought me from Aram, the king of Moab from the mountains of the east. ‘Come,’ he said, ‘put a curse on Jacob for me; come and denounce Israel!’
- מְשָׁל֖וֹmeshalonoun · masculine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: oracle his
Then Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: “Arise, O Balak, and listen; give ear to me, O son of Zippor.
- מְשָׁל֖וֹmeshalonoun · masculine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: oracle his
and he lifted up an oracle, saying: “This is the prophecy of Balaam son of Beor, the prophecy of a man whose eyes are open,
- מְשָׁל֖וֹmeshalonoun · masculine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: oracle his
Then Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying, “This is the prophecy of Balaam son of Beor, the prophecy of a man whose eyes are open,
- מְשָׁל֖וֹmeshalonoun · masculine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: oracle his
Then Balaam saw Amalek and lifted up an oracle, saying: “Amalek was first among the nations, but his end is destruction.”
- מְשָׁל֖וֹmeshalonoun · masculine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: oracle his
Next he saw the Kenites and lifted up an oracle, saying: “Your dwelling place is secure, and your nest is set in a cliff.
- מְשָׁל֖וֹmeshalonoun · masculine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: oracle his
Once more Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: “Ah, who can live unless God has ordained it?
- מְשָׁל֖וֹmeshalonoun · masculine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: oracle his
Deuteronomy
one use
You will become an object of horror, scorn, and ridicule among all the nations to which the LORD will drive you.
- לְמָשָׁ֖לlemashalpreposition + noun · masculine singulartagged: into a byword
1 Samuel
two uses
Then a man who lived there replied, “And who is their father?” So the saying became a proverb: “Is Saul also among the prophets?”
- לְמָשָׁ֔לlemashalpreposition + noun · masculine singulartagged: into a proverb
As the old proverb says, ‘Wickedness proceeds from the wicked.’ But my hand will never be against you.
- מְשַׁל֙meshalnoun · masculine singular · in construct (“…of”)tagged: proverb of
1 Kings
two uses
Solomon composed three thousand proverbs, and his songs numbered a thousand and five.
- מָשָׁ֑לmashalnoun · masculine singulartagged: proverb
then I will cut off Israel from the land that I have given them, and I will banish from My presence this temple I have sanctified for My Name. Then Israel will become an object of scorn and ridicule among all peoples.
- לְמָשָׁ֥לlemashalpreposition + noun · masculine singulartagged: into a byword
2 Chronicles
one use
then I will uproot Israel from the soil I have given them, and I will banish from My presence this temple I have sanctified for My Name. I will make it an object of scorn and ridicule among all the peoples.
- לְמָשָׁ֥לlemashalpreposition + noun · masculine singulartagged: into a byword
Job
three uses
Your maxims are proverbs of ashes; your defenses are defenses of clay.
- מִשְׁלֵי־mishlei-noun · masculine plural · in construct (“…of”)tagged: proverbs of
Job continued his discourse:
- מְשָׁל֗וֹmeshalonoun · masculine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: discourse his
And Job continued his discourse:
- מְשָׁל֗וֹmeshalonoun · masculine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: discourse his
Psalms
four uses
You have made us a byword among the nations, a laughingstock among the peoples.
- מָ֭שָׁלmasholnoun · masculine singulartagged: a byword
I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will express my riddle with the harp:
- לְמָשָׁ֣לlemashalpreposition + noun · masculine singulartagged: to a proverb
I made sackcloth my clothing, and I was sport to them.
- לְמָשָֽׁל׃lemashalpreposition + noun · masculine singulartagged: into a byword
I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the beginning,
- בְמָשָׁ֣לvemashalpreposition + noun · masculine singulartagged: in a parable
Proverbs
six uses
These are the proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel,
- מִ֭שְׁלֵיmishleinoun · masculine plural · in construct (“…of”)tagged: proverbs of
by understanding the proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise.
- מָ֭שָׁלmasholnoun · masculine singulartagged: a proverb
The proverbs of Solomon: A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son grief to his mother.
- מִשְׁלֵ֗יmishleinoun · masculine plural · in construct (“…of”)tagged: proverbs of
These are additional proverbs of Solomon, which were copied by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah:
- מִשְׁלֵ֣יmishleinoun · masculine plural · in construct (“…of”)tagged: proverbs of
Like lame legs hanging limp is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
- וּ֝מָשָׁ֗לumashalconjunction (“and”) + noun · masculine singulartagged: and a proverb
Like a thorn that falls into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
- וּ֝מָשָׁ֗לumashalconjunction (“and”) + noun · masculine singulartagged: and a proverb
Ecclesiastes
one use
Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also taught the people knowledge; he pondered, searched out, and arranged many proverbs.
- מְשָׁלִ֥יםmeshalimnoun · masculine pluraltagged: proverbs
Isaiah
one use
you will sing this song of contempt against the king of Babylon: How the oppressor has ceased, and how his fury has ended!
- הַמָּשָׁ֥לhamashalthe definite article (“the”) + noun · masculine singulartagged: the saying
Jeremiah
one use
I will make them a horror and an offense to all the kingdoms of the earth, a disgrace and an object of scorn, ridicule, and cursing wherever I have banished them.
- וּלְמָשָׁל֙ulemashalconjunction (“and”) + preposition + noun · masculine singulartagged: and into a byword
Ezekiel
eight uses
“Son of man, what is this proverb that you have in the land of Israel: ‘The days go by, and every vision fails’?
- הַמָּשָׁ֤לhamashalthe definite article (“the”) + noun · masculine singulartagged: the proverb
Therefore tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I will put an end to this proverb, and in Israel they will no longer recite it.’ But say to them: ‘The days are at hand when every vision will be fulfilled.
- הַמָּשָׁ֣לhamashalthe definite article (“the”) + noun · masculine singulartagged: the proverb
I will set My face against that man and make him a sign and a proverb; I will cut him off from among My people. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
- וְלִמְשָׁלִ֔יםvelimshalimconjunction (“and”) + preposition + noun · masculine pluraltagged: and into bywords
“Son of man, pose a riddle; speak a parable to the house of Israel
- מָשָׁ֑לmashalnoun · masculine singulartagged: a parable
“What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel: ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the teeth of the children are set on edge’?
- הַמָּשָׁ֣לhamashalthe definite article (“the”) + noun · masculine singulartagged: the proverb
As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel.
- הַמָּשָׁ֥לhamashalthe definite article (“the”) + noun · masculine singulartagged: the proverb
Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD, they are saying of me, ‘Is he not just telling parables?’”
- מְשָׁלִ֖יםmeshalimnoun · masculine pluraltagged: parables
Now speak a parable to this rebellious house and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Put the pot on the fire; put it on and pour in the water.
- מָשָׁ֔לmashalnoun · masculine singulartagged: a parable
Micah
one use
In that day they will take up a proverb against you and taunt you with this bitter lamentation: ‘We are utterly ruined! He has changed the portion of my people. How He has removed it from me! He has allotted our fields to traitors.’”
- מָשָׁ֗לmashalnoun · masculine singulartagged: a saying
Habakkuk
one use
Will not all of these take up a taunt against him, speaking with mockery and derision: ‘Woe to him who amasses what is not his and makes himself rich with many loans! How long will this go on?’
- מָשָׁ֣לmashalnoun · masculine singulartagged: a saying
Where it leads
Studies that open this word1
How the numbers are counted
Every count on this page comes from STEP Bible's tagged Hebrew and Greek text, the same text the ledger prints. A use is counted once each time the tagging marks a word with this key.
Spellings are counted as the Greek text spells them, with the sentence's own punctuation taken off the word first, so a form that ends a clause is not counted as a second spelling.
The words it stands beside are the nouns, verbs and adjectives immediately before or after it, counted in every verse where the word stands. The article, the conjunctions and the prepositions are left out, because they stand beside every word.
The family is read from the lexicon by the stem the two words share, with the accents off, and a person or a place named on the stem is left out.