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Job 12:16 — Word Study

Depth

WLCעִ֭מּוֹ עֹ֣ז וְתֽוּשִׁיָּ֑ה ל֝֗וֹ שֹׁגֵ֥ג וּמַשְׁגֶּֽה׃

BSATrue wisdomtûwshîyâh [genuine, authentic, support, ability, or understanding, often implying sound knowledge or efficient wisdom] and powerʻôz [strength, might] belong to Himʻim [as His inherent attributes] The deceivedshâgag [one who has gone astray, sinned or erred] and the deceiver [are His]shâgâh [one who leads others astray, intentionally or unintentionally, under His authority, subject to His will]

Word
Listen & take awayJob 12
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 16 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (u.mash.Geh) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Job 12:16quick helps
In a sentenceGod possesses true wisdom and power, and both the deceived and the deceiver are under His authority.
Who is speakingJob, reflecting on God's sovereignty.
Where we areIn a discourse about God's control over creation and human affairs.
The hard wordעֹז
Take awayWisdom and power are inherent attributes of God.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbשָׁגַג The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

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 — Job 12:16

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 — Job's Reflection on God's Sovereigntygenerated

15If He holds back the waters, they dry up, and if He releases them, they overwhelm the land.
16True wisdom and power belong to Him. The deceived and the deceiver are His.
17He leads counselors away barefoot and makes fools of judges.
18He loosens the bonds placed by kings and fastens a belt around their waists.

Job 12:16 emphasizes that true wisdom and power belong to God, highlighting His authority over both those who err and those who lead others astray. This verse is part of a larger discourse where Job reflects on God's control over the natural world and human affairs, illustrating the divine wisdom that governs all actions and outcomes.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Job 12:13Wisdom and strength belong to God; counsel and understanding are His.
2Matthew 6:13And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. ’
31 Kings 22:22–23And he replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’ ‘You will surely entice him and prevail,’ said the LORD. ‘Go and do it.’
4Ezekiel 14:9But if the prophet is enticed to speak a message, then it was I the LORD who enticed him, and I will stretch out My hand against him and destroy him from among My people Israel.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word עֹז, 'ozgenerated

The noun עֹז ('oz) refers to strength or might, encompassing various dimensions such as physical power, social status, and boldness. It is often associated with the might of God, emphasizing His supreme authority and capability in all matters.

The parsing indicates that it is a common masculine singular noun, which reinforces its use as a fundamental attribute of God, suggesting that His strength is not only physical but also moral and spiritual, underpinning His governance over creation.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses belong to Him to convey the idea that both wisdom and power are inherent to God.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main clause is governed by the finite verb עִ֭מּוֹ, [are] with Him, which establishes God's possession of wisdom and strength. The structure includes two noun phrases: עֹ֣ז (strength) and וְתֽוּשִׁיָּ֑ה (and sound wisdom), both functioning as subjects that describe attributes belonging to God.

The Hebrew word order places emphasis on God's attributes first, followed by the subjects that are under His authority, creating a clear statement of His sovereignty.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, עֹז is rendered as κράτος, which also means strength or power, indicating a direct correlation in meaning. This choice emphasizes God's might in a way familiar to Greek readers.

The translation of וְתֽוּשִׁיָּ֑ה is less clear, but it aligns with the concept of wisdom, showing that the translators understood the importance of conveying God's attributes accurately.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Job 12:16 states that true wisdom and power belong to God, and that both the deceived and the deceiver are under His authority. This verse highlights God's control over all aspects of life, showing that He governs both those who err and those who lead others astray.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that wisdom and power belong to God?

It means that God is the ultimate source of understanding and strength, and everything operates under His authority.

How does this verse relate to the concept of deception?

The verse indicates that both the deceived and the deceiver are subject to God's will, emphasizing His sovereignty even over moral failures.

Why is it important to recognize God's wisdom and power?

Recognizing God's attributes helps us understand His role in our lives and the world, reinforcing our trust in His guidance.

What can we learn from Job's reflection on God's sovereignty?

We learn that despite the complexities of life and human actions, God remains in control and possesses the ultimate wisdom and power.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what areas of my life can I recognize God's wisdom and power at work?
  2. How can I better understand the concept of being deceived or leading others astray?
  3. What does it mean for me to submit to God's authority in my life?
  4. How can I seek God's wisdom in my decisions and actions?

The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it

Early comments on this verse reflect on God's strength and wisdom, emphasizing His authority in all matters.

Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book XI c. 540–604
With Him is strength and wisdom. A little above it had been said, With Him is wisdom and strength; but now it is said, With Him is strength and wisdom.
Early Church Fathers on Job 12 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Job 12:16 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

With him [is] strength and wisdom,.... Which is repeated from Job 12:13; though different words are used but expressive of the same things; of the greatest strength might, and power of God, as the

Read John Gill on Job 12 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his. The deceived and the deceiver are his. "If the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the Lord have deceived that prophet" (Ezekiel 14:9).

Read Robert Jamieson on Job 12 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

He doth the things here mentioned in the foregoing and succeeding verses, and that both powerfully, so as no creature can resist and hinder him, and wisely, so as none can prevent and overreach him. The same thing he had said before, , but he repeats it here to prepare the way for the following events, which are eminent instances both of his power and wisdom. Are his, i.e. from or by him, and wholly subject to his disposal. That one man deceiveth another, and that the other is deceived by him, either in Divine or civil and worldly things, (which seem to be principally intended here, by comparing the following verses,) this is from God, and by the conduct of his wise and powerful providence.…

Read Matthew Poole on Job 12 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Job 12:16 With him [is] strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver [are] his.Ver. 16. With him is strength and wisdom] i.e. Such strength as he exerciseth most wisely, mightily, and righteously. Sic volo, sic iubeo, I wish so, so I command, saith the tyrant, Right or wrong, thus it shall be. Volumus et iubemus, saith that man of sin, We will and command, &c., neither must any one mute or say so much as What dost thou? upon pain of damnation. When Constantius would have Paulinus, Lucifer, and other bishops subscribe against Athanasius, and communicate with the Arians, he yielded to no other reason but this, Quod ego volo, pro canone sit, Do as I bid, or get you into banishment. But…

Read John Trapp on Job 12 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 16. With him is strength and wisdom] עז ותושיה oz vethushiyah, strength and sufficiency. Strength or power, springing from an exhaustless and infinite source of potency. In the thirteenth verse it is said, With him is wisdom and strength; but the expressions are not the same, חכמה וגבורה chochmah ugeburah, intelligence and fortitude, or strength in action, the wisdom ever guiding the exertions of power; but here is strength or power in essence, and an eternal potentiality. With him is every excellence, in potentia and in esse. He borrows nothing, he derives nothing. As he is self-existent, so is he self-sufficient. We have had the word tushiyah before. See Clarke on Job 11:6. The…

Read AdamClarke on Job 12 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

16. The word “wisdom” in this verse is that in ch. Job 5:12, Job 11:6. the deceived and the deceiver] lit. he that errs and he that leads into error, he that is ruled and he that rules oppressively. These are distinctions among men; to God both are the same, or both are equally in his hand, cf. Proverbs 22:2.

Read Cambridge on Job 12 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The deceived and the deceiver are his - This is designed to teach that all classes of people are under his control. All are dependent on him, and all are subject to him.

Read Albert Barnes on Job 12 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

b. For the sake of the argument Job acknowledges the divine wisdom and might in the moral world; but at once saddles these attributes with calamities that strike deceived and deceiver alike; as much

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 12 →

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

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

True wisdom and power belong to Him. The deceived and the deceiver are His.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

With him is strength and wisdom. The deceived and the deceiver are his.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

True wisdom and power belong to Him. The deceived and the deceiver are His.

NETBNew English Translation2006

With him are strength and prudence; both the one who goes astray and the one who misleads are his.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

With him is strength and wisdom; The deceived and the deceiver are his.

RVARevised Version, American1894

With him is strength and effectual working; the deceived and the deceiver are his.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

With him is strength and wisedome: hee that is deceiued, and that deceiueth, are his.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

With him is strength and effectual knowledge; the deceived and the deceiver are his.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

With Him [are] strength and wisdom, His the deceived and deceiver.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

With Him [are] strength and wisdom, || His the deceived and deceiver.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

With him are strength and counsel: his are the deceived and the deceiver.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

With him are strength and wisdom; people who are deceived and the deceiver are both in his power.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

With him is strength and wisdom: he knoweth both the deceiver, and him that is deceived.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

He is mighty and victorious; both deceivers and those deceived are subject to him.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

With him are strength and wise designs; he who is guided into error, together with his guide, are in his hands;

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.

clauseprepositional phrase · predicateעִ֭מּ[are].withוֹhimnoun phrase · subjectעֹ֣זstrengthוְandתֽוּשִׁיָּ֑הsound.wisdomclauseprepositional phrase · predicateל֝֗[belong].toוֹhimnoun phrase · subjectשֹׁגֵ֥ג[one.who].goes.astrayוּandמַשְׁגֶּֽה[one.who].leads.astray

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 agree in their wording for this verse, confirming the consistency of the message regarding God's wisdom and power. The Septuagint matches every word of the Hebrew text, indicating a faithful translation.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

עִ֭מּוֹ עֹ֣ז וְתֽוּשִׁיָּ֑ה ל֝֗וֹ שֹׁגֵ֥ג וּמַשְׁגֶּֽה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
עִ֭מּוֹαὐτῷעֹ֣זκράτοςוְתֽוּשִׁיָּ֑הἰσξύςל֝֗וֹαὐτῷשֹׁגֵ֥גἐπιστήμηוּמַשְׁגֶּֽה׃σύνεσις

6 of the 6 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.

Job 12:16עִם[are] with [are] with himעִםעֹזstrengthstrengthעֹזתּוּשִׁיָּהand sound wand sound wisdoתּוּשִׁיָּהוֹ[belong] to[belong] to himוֹשָׁגַג[one who] g[one who] goes שָׁגַגשָׁגָהand [one whand [one who] lשָׁגָהעָמַםto darkento darkenעָמַםעָזַזbe strongbe strongעָזַזשָׁכַבto lie dowto lie down: laשָׁכַבקָבַרto buryto buryקָבַרמַחְסֶּהrefugerefugeמַחְסֶּהגָּאוֹןprideprideגָּאוֹןעֵצָהcounselcounselעֵצָהחָכְמָהwisdomwisdomחָכְמָהשְׁגָגָהunintentiounintentionallyשְׁגָגָהעַלuponuponעַלשֵׁכָרstrong dristrong drinkשֵׁכָרתָּעָהto go astrto go astrayתָּעָה
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Job 12:16

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.

[are] with him strength and sound wisdom [belong] to him [one who] goes astray and [one who] leads astray
עִ֭מּוֹi.mo [are] with him H5973 Preposition · suffix
1,052× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means with or together, like when God is with his people in Exodus 33:14-15. It's used to describe accompaniment or association, and can also mean against or beside. The word is used to convey a sense of relationship or proximity between people or things.
Amplified meaning
as His inherent attributes
Tyndale gloss
with
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עִם (im) is a preposition meaning 'with' and covers a range of relationships, including companionship, locality, and possession. It can imply actions done jointly, equality, or even opposition in contexts like combat. The related form מֵעִם (me.im) means 'from with' or 'beside.' The entries reflect various nuances but do not present significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עִם prep. with

of fellowship and companionship

of aid

Of actions done jointly with another

If the common action be of the nature of a contest or combat, with in the sense of against

Of dealing with a person, or of the relation in which one stands with, or towards, another

Of a common lot together with the wicked

Of equality or resemblance generally aid

Of time, as long as

Of a locality, close to, beside

Of persons, עִם is spec.

in the house or family or service of

In possession of

In the custody or care of

Beside = except

With = friendly with

Idiom. of a thought or purpose present with one

Metaph. together with = in spite of, notwithstanding

base

מֵעִם 72 from with or beside

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5973a עִם with . of fellowship and companionship

. Of a locality, close to, beside

. Of persons, עִם is spec. . in the house or family or service of

. In possession of

. In the custody or care of

. Beside = except

. With = friendly with

. Idiom. of a thought or purpose present with one

. Metaph. together with = in spite of, notwithstanding

H5973b מֵעִם from with, beside

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5973 `im eem

from 6004; adverb or preposition, with (i.e. in conjunction

with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with;

often with prepositional prefix (and then usually

unrepresented in English):--accompanying, against, and, as (X

long as), before, beside, by (reason of), for all, from

(among, between), in, like, more than, of, (un-)to,

with(-al).

see HEBREW for 06004

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עִם (im) — with.

1) with

1a) with

1b) against

1c) toward

1d) as long as

מֵעִם (me.im) — from with.

1a) beside, except

1b) in spite of

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Suff — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp3ms
[are] with him strength and sound wisdom [belong] to him [one who] goes astray and [one who] leads astray
עֹ֣ז'oz strength H5797 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
92× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Describes strength or might, including physical power, social status, or boldness, like the strength of God or a strong leader.
Amplified meaning
strength, might
Tyndale gloss
strength
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עֹז (oz) refers to strength or might, encompassing material, physical, personal, social, and political dimensions. It can denote boldness or impudence and is associated with the might of God. The word is built from the root related to strength and power, with various applications noted in the entries.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֹז, and (rarely) עוֹז n.m. strength, might

material and physical

personal, social, and political

might of י׳

= boldness, impudence

= stronghold

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5797 עֹז, and (rarely) עוֹז strength, might . material and physical

. personal, social, and political

. might of י׳

. = boldness, impudence

. = stronghold

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5797 `oz oze

or (fully) rowz {oze}; from 5810; strength in various

applications (force, security, majesty, praise):--boldness,

loud, might, power, strength, strong.

see HEBREW for 05810

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֹז (oz) — strength.

1) might, strength

1a) material or physical

1b) personal or social or political

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Nave's Topical Bible

→ A title given to Jehovah 1Sa 15:29

[are] with him strength and sound wisdom [belong] to him [one who] goes astray and [one who] leads astray
וְתֽוּשִׁיָּ֑הve.tu.shi.Yah and sound wisdom H8454 Conjunction · noun common feminine singular absolute
12× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Wisdom, or tushiyah, means support, ability, or understanding, often implying sound knowledge or efficient wisdom. It can also signify success or an undertaking, as seen in KJV translations like enterprise or substance.
Amplified meaning
genuine, authentic, support, ability, or understanding, often implying sound knowledge or efficient wisdom
Tyndale gloss
wisdom
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תּוּשִׁיָּה (tuwshiyah) refers to sound or efficient wisdom and abiding success. It is derived from a root that implies support or ability, encompassing concepts like understanding and enterprise. The term is associated with wisdom that leads to success and effective outcomes.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

תּוּשִׁיָּה n.f. sound, efficient wisdom, abiding success

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8454 תּוּשִׁיָּה sound, efficient wisdom, abiding success

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8454 tuwshiyah too-shee-yaw'

or tushiyah { too-shee-yaw'}; from an unused root probably

meaning to substantiate; support or (by implication) ability,

i.e. (direct) help, (in purpose) an undertaking,

(intellectual) understanding:--enterprise, that which (thing

as it) is, substance, (sound) wisdom, working.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תּוּשִׁיָּה (tu.shiy.yah) — wisdom.

1) wisdom, sound knowledge, success, sound or efficient wisdom, abiding success

1a) sound or efficient wisdom

1b) abiding success (of the effect of sound wisdom)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-fs — Conjunction · noun common feminine singular absolute
HC/Ncfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

wiz'-dum:

1. Linguistic

2. History

3. Religious Basis

4. Ideals

5. Teaching of Christ

6. Remainder of the New Testament

(1) James

(2) Paul

7. Hypostasis

LITERATURE

1. Linguistic:

In the Revised Version (British and American) the noun "wisdom" and its corresponding adjective and verb ("be wise," "act wisely," etc.) represent a variety of Hebrew words: bin (binah, and in the English Revised Version tebunah), sakhal (sekhel, sekhel), lebh (and in the English Revised Version labhabh), tushiyah (and in the English Revised Version Te`em, `ormah, piqqach. None of these, however, is of very frequent occurrence and by far the most common group is the verb chakham, with the adjective chakham, and the nouns chokhmah, chokhmoth, with something over 300 occurrences in the Old Testament (of which rather more than half are in Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes). Cokhmah, accordingly, may be treated as the Hebrew…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Of Joseph Ge 41:16,25-39; Ac 7:10

→ Of Moses Ac 7:22

→ Of Bezaleel Ex 31:3-5; 35:31-35; 36:1

→ Of Aholiab Ex 31:6; 35:34,35; 36:1

→ Of other skilled artisans Ex 36:2

→ Of women Ex 35:26

→ Of Hiram 1Ki 7:14; 2Ch 2:14

→ Of Solomon 1Ki 3:12,16-28; 4:29-34; 5:12; 10:24

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
[are] with him strength and sound wisdom [belong] to him [one who] goes astray and [one who] leads astray
ל֝֗וֹlo [belong] to him H9033 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

וֹ (o) — him.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person masculine singular

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp3ms — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp3ms
[are] with him strength and sound wisdom [belong] to him [one who] goes astray and [one who] leads astray
שֹׁגֵ֥גsho.Geg [one who] goes astray H7683 Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
4× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To go astray means to sin or err, often unintentionally. It can also mean to deceive or go the wrong way. This concept is found in the Bible, particularly in the Psalms and Proverbs.
Amplified meaning
one who has gone astray, sinned or erred
Tyndale gloss
to go astray
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁגַג (shagag) is a primitive root meaning to stray or err, often in the context of sinning ignorantly or inadvertently. The entries highlight its use in the Qal form, indicating mental error or unintentional sin. There are no significant disagreements among the lexicons regarding its meaning.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[שָׁגַג] vb. go astray, commit sin or error

Qal

err, mentally

sin ignorantly, inadvertently

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7683 שָׁגַג

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7683 shagag shaw-gag'

a primitive root; to stray, i.e. (figuratively) sin (with

more or less apology):--X also for that, deceived, err, go

astray, sin ignorantly.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁגַג (sha.gag) — to go astray.

1) to go astray, err, commit sin or error

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to err (mentally)

1a2) to sin (ignorantly or inadvertently)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
HVqrmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

a-stra' (ta`ah, "to wander," "to err"; planaomai, "to go astray," each carrying the idea of being lost): With one exception (Ex 23:4 "his ass going astray") used metaphorically of moral wandering, going astray in paths of error and sin, like "sheep going astray" (1Pe 2:25 the King James Version; Isa 53:6; Ps 119:176).

This wandering may be due

(1) to inherent evil (Ps 58:3);

(2) to false shepherds (Jer 50:6); contrast the beautiful and classic passage, Mt 18:12,13, the Son of man (verse 12) seeketh that which is…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
[are] with him strength and sound wisdom [belong] to him [one who] goes astray and [one who] leads astray
וּמַשְׁגֶּֽה׃u.mash.Geh and [one who] leads astray H7686 Conjunction · verb hiphil participle (active) masculine singular
21× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to wander or stray, often used to describe someone who has made a moral mistake or is drunk, like in Proverbs 5:23. It can also mean to lead someone astray.
Amplified meaning
one who leads others astray, intentionally or unintentionally, under His authority, subject to His will
Tyndale gloss
to wander
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁגָה (shagah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to stray or err, often in a moral or mental sense. It can refer to wandering off course, committing sins of ignorance, or leading others astray. The entries highlight its use in both a literal and figurative context, including the idea of intoxication or being enraptured.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[שָׁגָה] vb. go astray, err

Qal

err, stray, of flock

swerve, meander, reel or roll

go astray

specif. commit sin of ignorance, inadvertence

Hiph. lead astray

lit.

mentally = mislead

morally

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7686 [שָׁגָה] go astray, err .. err, stray, of flock

. swerve, meander, reel or roll

. go astray

. specif. commit sin of ignorance, inadvertence

. lead astray . lit.

. mentally = mislead

. morally

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7686 shagah shaw-gaw'

a primitive root; to stray (causatively, mislead), usually

(figuratively) to mistake, especially (morally) to transgress;

by extension (through the idea of intoxication) to reel,

(figuratively) be enraptured:--(cause to) go astray, deceive,

err, be ravished, sin through ignorance, (let, make to)

wander.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁגָה (sha.gah) — to wander.

1) to go astray, stray, err

1a)(Qal)

1a1) to err, stray

1a2) to swerve, meander, reel, roll, be intoxicated, err (in drunkenness)

1a3) to go astray (morally)

1a4) to commit sin of ignorance or inadvertence, err (ignorantly)

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to lead astray

1b2) to lead astray, mislead (mentally)

1b3) to lead astray (morally)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Hiphil — Conjunction · verb hiphil participle (active) masculine singular
HC/Vhrmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

a-stra' (ta`ah, "to wander," "to err"; planaomai, "to go astray," each carrying the idea of being lost): With one exception (Ex 23:4 "his ass going astray") used metaphorically of moral wandering, going astray in paths of error and sin, like "sheep going astray" (1Pe 2:25 the King James Version; Isa 53:6; Ps 119:176).

This wandering may be due

(1) to inherent evil (Ps 58:3);

(2) to false shepherds (Jer 50:6); contrast the beautiful and classic passage, Mt 18:12,13, the Son of man (verse 12) seeketh that which is…

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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