Ezekiel 16:44 — Word Study
WLCהִנֵּה֙ כָּל־ הַמֹּשֵׁ֔ל עָלַ֥יִךְ יִמְשֹׁ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר כְּאִמָּ֖ה בִּתָּֽהּ׃
BSABeholdhinnêh [look, see] allkôl [everything, every person] who speak in proverbsmâshal [use, utter, sayings, teachings] will quote this proverbmâshal▸ [use, repeat, saying, lesson] about youʻal Like motherʼêm [as, similar to, the female parent, a maternal figure] like daughterbath [the female child, a woman]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| הִנֵּה֙ | there! | Particle |
| כָּל־ | every | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| הַמֹּשֵׁ֔ל | [one who] speaks a proverb | Particle, verb qal participle (active) masculine singular |
| עָלַ֥יִךְ | on you | Preposition, suffix |
| יִמְשֹׁ֖ל | he will speak a proverb | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine singular |
| לֵאמֹ֑ר | saying | Preposition, verb qal infinitive construct common |
| כְּאִמָּ֖ה | [is] like mother her | Preposition, noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| בִּתָּֽהּ׃ | daughter her | Noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Behold, all who speak in proverbs will quote this proverb about you: ‘Like mother, like daughter.’ |
| KJV | ¶ Behold, every one that useth proverbs shall use this proverb against thee, saying, As is the mother, so is her daughter. |
| ASV | Behold, every one that useth proverbs shall use this proverb against thee, saying, As is the mother, so is her daughter. |
| YLT | Lo, every one using a simile, Doth use a simile concerning thee, saying: As the mother — her daughter! |
| WEB | “‘“Behold, everyone who uses proverbs will use this proverb against you, saying, ‘As is the mother, so is her daughter.’ |
| BBE | See, in every common saying about you it will be said, As the mother is, so is her daughter. |
The translations agree on the proverb's wording, presenting a unified interpretation of the text.
The main clause introduces the speaker and action, followed by a prepositional phrase that specifies the subject of the proverb and the quoted saying itself.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbמָשַׁל
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Ezekiel 16:44
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Judgment of Jerusalemgenerated
Ezekiel 16:44 is part of a passage where God, through Ezekiel, addresses the people of Jerusalem, highlighting their unfaithfulness and comparing their actions to those of their ancestors. This proverb serves to illustrate the idea that the behaviors and characteristics of the mother are reflected in the daughter, emphasizing the continuity of sin and rebellion within the family lineage.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ezekiel 18:2–3 | “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’? |
| 2 | 1 Samuel 24:13 | As the old proverb says, ‘Wickedness proceeds from the wicked.’ But my hand will never be against you. |
| 3 | Ezekiel 16:3–45 | and tell her that this is what the Lord GOD says to Jerusalem: Your origin and your birth were in the land of the Canaanites. Your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. |
| 4 | 1 Kings 21:16 | And when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up and went down to take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite. |
| 5 | 2 Kings 17:11–15 | They burned incense on all the high places like the nations that the LORD had driven out before them. They did wicked things, provoking the LORD to anger. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 8 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — מָשַׁל, ha.mo.Shelgenerated
The Hebrew word מָשַׁל (mashal) means to liken or represent, particularly through the use of proverbs or figurative language. It is often employed to convey moral lessons or comparisons, as seen throughout the wisdom literature of the Old Testament.
In this verse, it indicates that those who speak in proverbs will draw upon this familiar saying to make a point about the people of Jerusalem, reinforcing the idea that their actions mirror those of their forebears.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations agree in rendering the key phrase as 'Like mother, like daughter.' The BSB, KJV, ASV, YLT, WEB, and BBE all maintain this proverb without variation.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb יִמְשֹׁ֖ל, he will speak a proverb, governs the main clause, with a prepositional phrase עָלַ֥יִךְ (about you) indicating the subject of the proverb. The structure emphasizes the act of quoting a familiar saying.
The sentence flows logically, presenting the speaker and the action first, followed by the content of the proverb, showcasing the typical Hebrew syntax of placing the verb early in the sentence.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew מָשַׁל is translated as εἶπαν (they said), which shifts the focus slightly from the act of speaking a proverb to the act of saying it. This choice may suggest a more communal aspect of the proverb's usage.
This translation captures the essence of the proverb while also indicating a broader application among the people.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Ezekiel 16:44 tells us that people will use a well-known saying to describe the relationship between a mother and her daughter. This saying, 'Like mother, like daughter,' illustrates how children often reflect the traits and behaviors of their parents, particularly in the context of Jerusalem's unfaithfulness.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It means that a daughter often resembles her mother in behavior and character, reflecting the idea that traits and actions are passed down through generations.
Ezekiel uses this proverb to highlight the unfaithfulness of Jerusalem, indicating that the city's actions mirror those of its ancestors.
The proverb underscores the theme of accountability and the consequences of inherited behaviors, as Ezekiel calls out the people for their continued rebellion against God.
Proverbs serve as moral teachings and wisdom, often using familiar sayings to convey deeper truths about life and behavior.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways do I see traits from my parents reflected in my own life?
- How can understanding the proverb 'Like mother, like daughter' help me in my relationships with family?
- What lessons can I learn from the behaviors of those who came before me?
- How can I break negative patterns that may have been passed down through generations?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Jerome comments on this verse, noting its use of a well-known proverb to illustrate the relationship between a mother and her daughter, emphasizing accountability and familial resemblance.
Behold, everyone who speaks a commonly-known proverb, will apply it to you, saying: Like mother, like daughter. You are the daughter of your mother, who has cast away her husband and her sons, and the sister of your sisters,Early Church Fathers on Ezekiel 16 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Ezekiel 16:44 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleBehold, everyone that useth proverbs,.... That affects a proverbial way of sneaking that is witty and facetious, and has a talent at satirizing and scoffing, as some have had; such were Lucian and
Read John Gill on Ezekiel 16 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryBehold, every one that useth proverbs shall use this proverb against thee, saying, As is the mother, so is her daughter.
Read Robert Jamieson on Ezekiel 16 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThat useth proverbs; that delights to make parables, and useth to taunt at the vices of notorious sinners. Shall use this proverb against thee: this might be read with the former phrase, and render us this sense, Every one that would speak against thee, O Jerusalem, and tartly upbraid thee, shall use this proverb. The mother; old Jerusalem, when the seat of the Jebusites; or the land of Canaan, when full of the idolatrous, bloody, barbarous nations. Her daughter; Jerusalem, or synagogue of the Jews, which is more like in the wickednesses of those accursed nations, than near them in places of abode. See more .
Read Matthew Poole on Ezekiel 16 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsEzekiel 16:44 Behold, every one that useth proverbs shall use [this] proverb against thee, saying, As [is] the mother, [so is] her daughter.Ver. 44. Behold, every one that useth proverbs.] Omnis paraemiator paraemiabit. That is skilful at, and exercised in gibing and jeering; as was Socrates - called therefore ο Sκωπτων, the Scoffer - Democritus, Lucian, Sir Thomas Moore, Erasmus, &c. Shall use this proverb.] This taunting proverb. As is the mother, so is her daughter.] The birth followeth the belly. Kακουκορακοςκακονωον. Ill birds lay ill eggs. Qualis hera, talis ancilla, &c.
Read John Trapp on Ezekiel 16 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(44) As is the mother.—The sin of the people had become so notorious as to attract general attention, and lead to the application of this proverb. The nativity of Israel described in Ezekiel 16:3 is here in mind, and the proverb becomes equivalent to saying, these sins belong to every people living in Canaan; once practised by the Amorites and Hittites, they are now continued by the Israelites.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Ezekiel 16 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 44. As is the mother, so is her daughter.] כאמה בתה keimmah bittah, "As the mother, her daughter." As is the cause, so is the effect. As is the breeding, so is the practice. A silken purse cannot be made out of a swine's ear. What is bred in the bone seldom comes out of the flesh. All such proverbs show the necessity of early holy precepts, supported by suitable example.
Read AdamClarke on Ezekiel 16 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges44. A taunting proverb in regard to Jerusalem, the adulteress and child-murderer: she is the true daughter of her mother the Canaanite. The proverb or saying is probably to be restricted to the words: “As is her mother, so is her daughter.” In Ezekiel 16:45 seq. the prophet speaks and addresses Jerusalem.
Read Cambridge on Ezekiel 16 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThe Jews prided themselves on being under the special protection of Yahweh. In the downfall of their neighbors, they found only additional grounds for confidence in their own security.
Read Albert Barnes on Ezekiel 16 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Behold, all who speak in proverbs will quote this proverb about you: ‘Like mother, like daughter.’
“‘“Behold, everyone who uses proverbs will use this proverb against you, saying, ‘As is the mother, so is her daughter.’
Behold, all who speak in proverbs will quote this proverb about you: ‘Like mother, like daughter.’
“‘Observe – everyone who quotes proverbs will quote this proverb about you: “Like mother, like daughter.”
Tyndale line
¶ Behold, every one that useth proverbs shall use this proverb against thee, saying, As is the mother, so is her daughter.
Behold, every one that useth proverbs shall use this proverb against thee, saying, As is the mother, so is her daughter.
Behold, every one that useth proverbs shall use this proverb against thee, saying, As is the mother, so is her daughter.
Behold, every one that useth proverbs shall use this proverb against thee, saying, As is the mother, so is her daughter.
Beholde, all that vse prouerbes, shall vse this prouerbe against thee, saying, As is the mother, so is her daughter.
Strictly literal
Behold, every one that useth proverbs shall speak in a proverb against thee, saying, As the mother, [so is] her daughter!
Lo, every one using a simile, Doth use a simile concerning thee, saying: As the mother — her daughter!
Behold, everyone using the allegory against you, || Uses [this] allegory concerning [you], saying, || As the mother—her daughter!
Behold, every one that speaketh in proverbs shall use this proverb against thee, saying, As the mother is, so is her daughter.
Behold! Everyone who speaks proverbs concerning you will say, “As the mother is, so also is her daughter.”
From the Latin
Behold every one that useth a common proverb, shall use this against thee, saying: As the mother was, so also is her daughter.
Simplified
Everyone who likes to use proverbs will quote this one about you: ‘Like mother, like daughter.’
See, in every common saying about you it will be said, As the mother is, so is her daughter.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree in their wording, with six out of eight words matching. The Septuagint's word order and articles differ, but the core message remains consistent across both texts.
הִנֵּה֙ כָּל־ הַמֹּשֵׁ֔ל עָלַ֥יִךְ יִמְשֹׁ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר כְּאִמָּ֖ה בִּתָּֽהּ׃
6 of the 8 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Ezekiel 16:44
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
הִנֵּה (hinneh) is a Hebrew word meaning 'behold' or 'lo!' It serves as a demonstrative particle used to draw attention, appearing in contexts such as Genesis 19:2. The word is derived from a prolongation of another Hebrew term, but the entries do not provide further details on its usage beyond this.
הִנֵּה, once הִנֶּה־ Gn 19:2, demonstr.part. lo!, behold!
base
H2009 הִנֵּה, הִנֶּה־ lo!, behold!
2009 hinneh hin-nay'
prolongation for 2005; lo!:--behold, lo, see.
see HEBREW for 02005
הִנֵּה (hin.neh) — behold.
behold, lo, see, if
Part — ParticleHTj
כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.
כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all
with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every
Absolutely:
without the art., all things, all
with the art. הַכֹּל
where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned
in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)
base
H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every
. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all
. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned
. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)
3605 kol kole
or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;
hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a
plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any
(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as
many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,
whoso(-ever).
see HEBREW for 03634
כֹּל (kol) — all.
1) all, the whole
1a) all, the whole of
1b) any, each, every, anything
1c) totality, everything
Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
מָשַׁל (mashal) means to liken or represent, and can refer to using figurative language such as proverbs or poetry. It encompasses various forms, including comparing and becoming like something. The word appears notably in the context of speaking in parables, particularly in the book of Ezekiel.
[מָשַׁל] vb. represent, be like
Niph. be like, similar
Hiph. compare
Hithp. and I have become like dust
base
מָשַׁל vb. denom. use a proverb, speak in parables or sentences of poetry, esp. Ezek.
Qal use a proverb
Pi. is he not a maker of parables?
base
H4911a מָשַׁל represent, be like . be like, similar
. compare
. and I have become like dust
H4911b מָשַׁל vb. denom. use a proverb, speak in parables or sentences of poetry, esp. Ezek.
4911 mashal maw-shal'
denominative from 4912; to liken, i.e. (transitively) to use
figurative language (an allegory, adage, song or the like);
intransitively, to resemble:--be(-come) like, compare, use
(as a) proverb, speak (in proverbs), utter.
see HEBREW for 04912
מָשַׁל (ma.shal) — to liken.
1) to represent, liken, be like
1a) (Niphal) to liken, be like, be similar
1b) (Hiphil) to compare
1c) (Hithpael) to become like
מָשַׁל (ma.shal) — to use a proverb.
1) to speak in a proverb, use a proverb, speak in parables, speak in sentences of poetry
1a) (Qal) to use a proverb, speak a parable or proverb
1b) (Piel) to make a parable
1b1) maker of parables (participle)
Art | V-Qal — Particle · verb qal participle (active) masculine singularHTd/Vqrmsa
prov'-erb (mashal, chidhah; parabole (Lu 4:23), paroimia (Joh 16:25,29)):
I. FOLK MEANING AND USE
1. The Primitive Sense
2. The Communal Origin
3. Animus of Proverbs
II. LITERARY DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROVERB
1. Discovery of Literary Value
2. The Differentiation
III. AS UNIT OF A STRAIN OF LITERATURE
1. From Detachment to Continuity
2. The Conception of Wisdom
3. In Later Times
By this term mainly, but sometimes by the term "parable" (e.g. Nu 23:7,18; 24:3,15; Job 27:1; 29:1), is translated the Hebrew word (mashal), which designates the formal unit or vehicle of didactic discourse. The mashal was an enunciation of truth, self-evident and self-illustrative, in some pointed or concentrated…
Proverb
A trite maxim; a similitude; a parable. The Hebrew word thus rendered (mashal) has a wide signification. It comes from a root meaning “to be like,” “parable.” Rendered “proverb” in Isa. 14:4; Hab. 2:6; “dark saying” in Ps. 49:4, Num. 12:8. Ahab’s defiant words in answer to the insolent demands of Benhadad, “Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off,” is a well known instance of a proverbial saying (1 Kings 20:11).
The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.
כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
base
עַל, עָ֑ל
subst. height
As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against
Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed
—
of clothing, etc., which any one wears
With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it
Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him
Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him
על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him
חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)
H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears
. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it
. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him
. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him
. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him
. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)
5921 `al al
properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the
singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a
particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always
in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great
variety of applications (as follow):--above, according
to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because
of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both
and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in
(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,
through(-out), to, touching, X with.
see HEBREW for 05920
עַל (al) — upon.
prep
1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against
1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards
1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)
1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)
1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)
1e) over (of suspension or extension)
1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)
1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)
1h) to (as a dative)
[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.
conj
Prep | Suff — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp2fs
מָשַׁל (mashal) means to liken or represent, and can refer to using figurative language such as proverbs or poetry. It encompasses various forms, including comparing and becoming like something. The word appears notably in the context of speaking in parables, particularly in the book of Ezekiel.
[מָשַׁל] vb. represent, be like
Niph. be like, similar
Hiph. compare
Hithp. and I have become like dust
base
מָשַׁל vb. denom. use a proverb, speak in parables or sentences of poetry, esp. Ezek.
Qal use a proverb
Pi. is he not a maker of parables?
base
H4911a מָשַׁל represent, be like . be like, similar
. compare
. and I have become like dust
H4911b מָשַׁל vb. denom. use a proverb, speak in parables or sentences of poetry, esp. Ezek.
4911 mashal maw-shal'
denominative from 4912; to liken, i.e. (transitively) to use
figurative language (an allegory, adage, song or the like);
intransitively, to resemble:--be(-come) like, compare, use
(as a) proverb, speak (in proverbs), utter.
see HEBREW for 04912
מָשַׁל (ma.shal) — to liken.
1) to represent, liken, be like
1a) (Niphal) to liken, be like, be similar
1b) (Hiphil) to compare
1c) (Hithpael) to become like
מָשַׁל (ma.shal) — to use a proverb.
1) to speak in a proverb, use a proverb, speak in parables, speak in sentences of poetry
1a) (Qal) to use a proverb, speak a parable or proverb
1b) (Piel) to make a parable
1b1) maker of parables (participle)
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singularHVqi3ms
prov'-erb (mashal, chidhah; parabole (Lu 4:23), paroimia (Joh 16:25,29)):
I. FOLK MEANING AND USE
1. The Primitive Sense
2. The Communal Origin
3. Animus of Proverbs
II. LITERARY DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROVERB
1. Discovery of Literary Value
2. The Differentiation
III. AS UNIT OF A STRAIN OF LITERATURE
1. From Detachment to Continuity
2. The Conception of Wisdom
3. In Later Times
By this term mainly, but sometimes by the term "parable" (e.g. Nu 23:7,18; 24:3,15; Job 27:1; 29:1), is translated the Hebrew word (mashal), which designates the formal unit or vehicle of didactic discourse. The mashal was an enunciation of truth, self-evident and self-illustrative, in some pointed or concentrated…
Proverb
A trite maxim; a similitude; a parable. The Hebrew word thus rendered (mashal) has a wide signification. It comes from a root meaning “to be like,” “parable.” Rendered “proverb” in Isa. 14:4; Hab. 2:6; “dark saying” in Ps. 49:4, Num. 12:8. Ahab’s defiant words in answer to the insolent demands of Benhadad, “Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off,” is a well known instance of a proverbial saying (1 Kings 20:11).
אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.
אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say
Qal
Say
Say in the heart (= think)
Promise
Command (esp. late)
Niph. be said, told
Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)
Hithp. act proudly, boast
base
H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say
. Say in the heart (= think)
. Promise
. Command (esp. late)
. be said, told
. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)
. act proudly, boast
559 'amar aw-mar'
a primitive root; to say (used with great
latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,
certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),
commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X
expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,
publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X
suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),
utter, X verily, X yet.
אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.
1) to say, speak, utter
1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend
1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called
1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly
1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch
Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)
HR/Vqcc — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct commonHR/Vqcc
The Hebrew word אֵם (em) means 'mother' and can refer to a human mother, an animal's dam, or even a figurative sense, such as Deborah's nurturing role for her people. It also conveys the idea of a point of departure or division. This word is built from a primitive root and encompasses both literal and figurative meanings.
אֵם 221 n.f. mother
lit. (human) mother
fig. of Deborah as caring for her people
of animals, dam
= point of departure or division
base
H517 אֵם mother . lit. (human) mother
. fig. of Deborah as caring for her people
. of animals, dam
. = point of departure or division
517 'em ame
a primitive word; a mother (as the bond of the family); in a
wide sense (both literally and figuratively (like 1):--dam,
mother, X parting.
see HEBREW for 01
אֵם (em) — mother.
1) mother
1a) of humans
1b) of Deborah's relationship to the people (fig.)
1c) of animals
2) point of departure or division
Prep | N-fs | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHR/Ncfsc/Sp3fs
בַּת (bat) means 'daughter' and encompasses a range of meanings including female child, young women, and even personifications of cities or inhabitants. It can also refer to villages in certain contexts. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and is used in various figurative senses, such as 'branch' or 'apple of the eye.'
בַּת 587 n.f. daughter
daughter, female child
young women, women
with name of city, land, or people, poet. personif. of that city or inhabitants
pl. = villages, after name of city
in phrases denoting character, quality, etc.
ostrich
fig.
of vine = branch
as n. relat.
base
H1323 בַּת daughter . daughter, female child
. young women, women
. with name of city, land, or people, poet. personif. of that city or inhabitants
. pl. = villages, after name of city
. in phrases denoting character, quality, etc.
. ostrich
. fig.
. of vine = branch
. as n. relat.
1323 bath bath
from 1129 (as feminine of 1121); a daughter (used in the same
wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and
figuratively):--apple (of the eye), branch, company, daughter,
X first, X old, + owl, town, village.
see HEBREW for 01129
see HEBREW for 01121
בַּת (bat) — daughter.
: daughter
1) daughter
1a) daughter, girl, adopted daughter, daughter-in-law, sister, granddaughters, female child, cousin
1a1) as polite address
1a2) as designation of women of a particular place
2) young women, women
1a3) as personification
1a4) daughter-villages
1a5) description of character
Also means: bat (בַּת ": village" H1323H)
בַּת (bat) — daughter: village.
: village
1) daughter
1a) daughter, girl, adopted daughter, daughter-in-law, sister, granddaughters, female child, cousin
1a1) as polite address
1a2) as designation of women of a particular place
2) young women, women
1a3) as personification
1a4) daughter-villages
1a5) description of character
בַּת (bat) — Bath (Shua).
A woman living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.38.2;
daughter of: Shua (H7770); married to Judah (H3063);
mother of: Er (H6147), Onan (H0209) and Shelah (H7956)
N-fs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHNcfsc/Sp3fs