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Proverbs 19:1 — Word Study

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WLCטֽוֹב־ רָ֭שׁ הוֹלֵ֣ךְ בְּתֻמּ֑וֹ מֵעִקֵּ֥שׁ שְׂ֝פָתָ֗יו וְה֣וּא כְסִֽיל׃

BSABetterṭôwb [more desirable, preferable] a poor manrûwsh [destitute, lacking] who walkshâlak [lives, conducts himself] with integritytôm [uprightness, moral purity] than a foolkᵉçîyl [stupid, silly, one who rejects God] whose lipssâphâh [language, words] are perverseʻiqqêsh [twisted, distorted, false]

Word
Listen & take awayProverbs 19
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 1 opens the 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 (khe.Sil) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Proverbs 19:1quick helps
In a sentenceThe verse compares the value of a poor man with integrity to a fool with perverse speech.
Who is speakingThe author of Proverbs, presenting a moral lesson.
Where we areThis verse is part of a collection of wise sayings in Proverbs.
The hard wordכְּסִיל
Take awayIntegrity is more valuable than wealth; foolishness leads to ruin.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectהוּא verbרוּשׁ 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 — Proverbs 19:1

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 — Wisdom in Proverbsgenerated

1Better a poor man who walks with integrity than a fool whose lips are perverse.
2Even zeal is no good without knowledge, and he who hurries his footsteps misses the mark.
3A man’s own folly subverts his way, yet his heart rages against the LORD.
4Wealth attracts many friends, but a poor man is deserted by his friend.

Proverbs 19:1 presents a contrast between two types of individuals: a poor man who lives with integrity and a fool whose words are twisted. This verse emphasizes the importance of moral character over material wealth. The surrounding verses continue to explore themes of knowledge, folly, and the consequences of one's actions, highlighting the value of wisdom in daily life.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Proverbs 19:22The desire of a man is loving devotion; better to be poor than a liar.
2Proverbs 12:26A righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the ways of the wicked lead them astray.
3Proverbs 15:16Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure with turmoil.
4Proverbs 16:8Better a little with righteousness than great gain with injustice.
5Proverbs 28:6Better a poor man who walks with integrity than a rich man whose ways are perverse.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 11 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word טוֹב־, tov-generated

The Hebrew word טוֹב (tov) signifies goodness or pleasantness, encompassing a range of meanings from ethical goodness to welfare. In this verse, it describes the desirable state of a person who embodies integrity.

As an adjective, טוֹב characterizes the poor man positively, indicating that his moral conduct is more valuable than wealth. This word appears frequently throughout the Bible, often in contexts that highlight the benefits of righteousness.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The translations agree on the meaning of the verse, consistently presenting the contrast between a poor man of integrity and a fool with perverse speech.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main clause is introduced by the finite verb טוֹב, is good, establishing the comparison. The subject is the poor man characterized by his integrity, and the second part of the sentence contrasts him with a fool, whose speech is described as perverse.

The structure emphasizes the moral lesson by placing the value of integrity first, followed by the negative portrayal of the fool, illustrating the consequences of foolishness.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint does not provide a direct translation for this verse, but it aligns closely with the Hebrew text, capturing the essence of the moral contrast presented. The absence of a specific Greek word choice suggests a focus on the underlying message rather than a direct linguistic correspondence.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Proverbs 19:1 teaches that it is better to be a poor man who lives with integrity than to be a fool whose words are twisted. This verse highlights the value of moral character over wealth, suggesting that integrity leads to a more fulfilling life.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to walk with integrity?

Walking with integrity means living in a way that is honest, upright, and morally sound, reflecting a commitment to ethical principles.

Why is the fool described as having perverse lips?

The fool's perverse lips indicate that he speaks in a twisted or dishonest manner, showing a lack of wisdom and understanding.

How does this verse relate to the surrounding verses in Proverbs?

This verse sets the tone for the surrounding teachings on wisdom and folly, illustrating the consequences of one's choices and the importance of integrity.

What can we learn from the comparison between the poor man and the fool?

We learn that moral character and integrity are more valuable than material wealth, and that foolishness can lead to negative outcomes.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways can I demonstrate integrity in my daily life?
  2. How do I respond to situations where I see foolishness or perverse speech?
  3. What are some practical steps I can take to prioritize moral character over material gain?
  4. How does this verse challenge my understanding of success and value?

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

Early commentators have noted the moral lessons in this verse, emphasizing the value of integrity over material wealth.

BedeCommentary on Proverbs c. 673–735
Better is the poor who walks in his simplicity, etc. Better is the simple hearer of the word of God, if he completes by working those things which he could understand in the Scriptures;
Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 19 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Proverbs 19:1 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Better [is] the poor that walketh in his integrity,.... In the uprightness of his heart before God and men; who is sincere in the worship of God, and in the profession of his name, and walks in all

Read John Gill on Proverbs 19 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool. Better (is) the poor that walketh in his integrity, than (he that is) perverse in his lips, and is a fool.

Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 19 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

CHAPTER 19 That walketh in his integrity; who is upright in his words and actions. That is perverse in his lips; that useth to speak wickedly, which proceeds from a wicked heart, and is usually attended with an evil life. Is a fool; is a hypocrite, or a wicked man, for this is opposed to the upright man in the former clause; yea, though he be rich, which is implied from the same clause.

Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 19 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Proverbs 19:1 Better [is] the poor that walketh in his integrity, than [he that is] perverse in his lips, and is a fool.Ver. 1. Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity.] That poor but honest man, that speaks supplications, but abuseth not his lips to lewd and loose language, is better than that rich fool that answers him roughly and robustiously - as Nabal did David’ s messengers - and otherwise speaks ill, thinks worse. We usually call a poor man a "poor soul"; a poor soul may be a rich Christian, and a rich man may have a poor soul.

Read John Trapp on Proverbs 19 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

XIX. (1) Perverse in his lips.—One who distorts the truth; translated “froward” in Proverbs 4:24. That a rich man is here intended appears likely from the parallel passage in Proverbs 28:6.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Proverbs 19 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

CHAPTER XIX The worth of a poor upright man. Riches preserve friends. False witnesses. False friends. A king's wrath. The foolish son. The prudent wife. Slothfulness. Pity for the poor. The fear of the Lord. The spendthrift son. Obedience to parents. NOTES ON CHAP. XIX Verse 1. Better is the poor] The upright poor man is always to be preferred to the rich or self-sufficient fool.

Read AdamClarke on Proverbs 19 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

1. a fool] We are left to read in the word rich, from the contrast implied by the parallelism: upright poverty is better than perverse folly, by whatever advantages of wealth, of birth, or of rank, it may be accompanied. The proverb recurs, with variations, Proverbs 28:6.

Read Cambridge on Proverbs 19 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The “perverse” man is the rich fool, as contrasted with the poor man who is upright. Proverbs 19:1-2 are missing in the Septuagint.

Read Albert Barnes on Proverbs 19 →

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

Better a poor man who walks with integrity than a fool whose lips are perverse.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than he who is perverse in his lips and is a fool.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Better a poor man who walks with integrity than a fool whose lips are perverse.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity than one who is perverse in his speech and is a fool.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity Than he that is perverse in his lips and is a fool.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity than he that perverse in his lips and is a fool.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Better is the poore that walketh in his vprightnes, then he that abuseth his lips, and is a foole.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Better is a poor [man] that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Better [is] the poor walking in his integrity, Than the perverse [in] his lips, who [is] a fool.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Better [is] the poor walking in his integrity, || Than the perverse [in] his lips—who [is] a fool.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than one of perverse lips, who is a fool.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity than one who is perverse in speech and is a fool.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Better is the poor man, that walketh in his simplicity, than a rich man that is perverse in his lips, and unwise.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Better to be poor but honest than stupid and tell lies.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Better is the poor man whose ways are upright, than the man of wealth whose ways are twisted.

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.

clausepredicateטֽוֹב[is].goodnoun phrase · subjectרָ֭שׁ[one.who.is].pooradjective phraseclauseverbהוֹלֵ֣ךְ[who].walksprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּinnoun phraseתֻמּ֑integrityוֹhisprepositional phrase · prepositionalמֵmorenoun phrasenoun phraseעִקֵּ֥שׁthan.the.[person].perversenoun phraseשְׂ֝פָתָ֗יhis.lipsוhisוְandnoun phraseclausesubjectה֣וּאhepredicateכְסִֽיל[is].a.fool

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 content, with 7 of the 8 words matched. The Septuagint reflects the Hebrew's moral teaching without altering the fundamental message.

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

טֽוֹב־ רָ֭שׁ הוֹלֵ֣ךְ בְּתֻמּ֑וֹ מֵעִקֵּ֥שׁ שְׂ֝פָתָ֗יו וְה֣וּא כְסִֽיל׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
טֽוֹב־’’רָ֭שׁ’’הוֹלֵ֣ךְ’’מֵעִקֵּ֥שׁ’’שְׂ֝פָתָ֗יו’’וְה֣וּא’’כְסִֽיל׃’’

7 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.

Proverbs 19:1טוֹב[is] good[is] goodטוֹברוּשׁa poor [pera poor [person]רוּשׁהָלַךְ[who] walks[who] walksהָלַךְתֹּםin integritin integrity hiתֹּםעִקֵּשׁmore than [more than [the]עִקֵּשׁשָׂפָהlips hislips hisשָׂפָההוּאand heand heהוּאכְּסִיל[is] a fool[is] a foolכְּסִילטוֹבbe pleasinbe pleasingטוֹבתָּמַםto finishto finishתָּמַםעָקַשׁto twistto twistעָקַשׁסָפָהto snatchto snatchסָפָהכָּסַלbe stupidbe stupidכָּסַלהָלַךְto walkto walkהָלַךְיָשָׁרJasharJasharיָשָׁרמַרְאֶהappearanceappearanceמַרְאֶהעָשִׁירrichrichעָשִׁירעִקֵּשׁtwistedtwistedעִקֵּשׁדֶּ֫רֶךְway: roadway: roadדֶּ֫רֶךְחֻקָּהstatutestatuteחֻקָּהמָשַׁךְto drawto drawמָשַׁךְקֶ֫שֶׁתbowbowקֶ֫שֶׁתפָּתַלto twistto twistפָּתַלבָּרַרto purifyto purifyבָּרַריְרִיעָהcurtaincurtainיְרִיעָהלָשׁוֹןtonguetongueלָשׁוֹן
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 Proverbs 19:1

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.

[is] good a poor [person] [who] walks in integrity his more than [the] [person] perverse of lips his and he [is] a fool
טֽוֹב־tov- [is] good H2896 Adj
538× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means good or welfare, describing something that is beneficial or pleasing, like a good deed or a happy time. It is used in many contexts, including Genesis and Psalms. This word is often translated as 'good' or 'beautiful'.
Amplified meaning
more desirable, preferable
Tyndale gloss
pleasant
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

טוֹב (tov) is a Hebrew word meaning good or pleasant, encompassing a wide range of meanings from agreeable to the senses to ethical goodness. It can function as an adjective, noun, or adverb, referring to things like welfare, happiness, and prosperity. The feminine form, טוֹבָה (tovah), specifically denotes welfare or good things.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

טוֹב adj. pleasant, agreeable, good

pleasant, agreeable to the senses

pleasant to the higher nature, giving pleasure, happiness, prosperity, and so agreeable, pleasing, well

good, excellent, of its kind

good, rich, valuable in estimation

good, appropriate, becoming

c. מִן compar. = better

of man's sensuous nature, glad, happy, prosperous

of man's intellectual nature, good understanding

good, kind, benign

good (ethical), right

base

טוֹב n.m. a good thing, benefit, welfare

welfare, prosperity, happiness

good things

good = benefit

moral good

base

טוֹבָה n.f. welfare, benefit, good things, good

welfare, prosperity, happiness

good things

bounty, good

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2896a טוֹב pleasant, agreeable, good . pleasant, agreeable to the senses

. pleasant to the higher nature, giving pleasure, happiness, prosperity, and so agreeable, pleasing, well

. good, excellent, of its kind

. good, rich, valuable in estimation

. good, appropriate, becoming

. c. מִן compar. =better

. of man's sensuous nature, glad, happy, prosperous

. of man's intellectual nature, good understanding

. good, kind, benign

. good (ethical), right

H2896b טוֹב a good thing, benefit, welfare H2896c טוֹבָה welfare, benefit, good things, good

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2896 towb tobe

from 2895; good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used

likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine,

the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a

good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or

women), also as an adverb (well):--beautiful, best, better,

bountiful, cheerful, at ease, X fair (word), (be in) favour,

fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s),

graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving,

merry, X most, pleasant, + pleaseth, pleasure, precious,

prosperity, ready, sweet, wealth, welfare, (be) well

((-favoured)).

see HEBREW for 02895

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

טוֹב (tov) — pleasant.

adj

1) good, pleasant, agreeable

1a) pleasant, agreeable (to the senses)

1b) pleasant (to the higher nature)

1c) good, excellent (of its kind)

1d) good, rich, valuable in estimation

1e) good, appropriate, becoming

1f) better (comparative)

1g) glad, happy, prosperous (of man's sensuous nature)

1h) good understanding (of man's intellectual nature)

1i) good, kind, benign

1j) good, right (ethical)

Aramaic equivalent: tav (טָב "fine" H2869)

טוֹב (tov) — good.

1) a good thing, benefit, welfare

1a) welfare, prosperity, happiness

1b) good things (collective)

1c) good, benefit

1d) moral good

טוֹבָה (to.vah) — welfare.

1) welfare, benefit, good things

1a) welfare, prosperity, happiness

1b) good things (collective)

1c) bounty

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAamsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

good (Tobh, Tubh, yaTabh; agathos, agathon, kalos, kalon): In English "good" is used in various senses, most of which are represented in the Bible.

(1) In the Old Testament the commonest word is Tobh, occurring very frequently and translated in a great variety of ways. Of the different shades of meaning, which frequently run into each other, the following may be distinguished:

(a) Possessing desirable qualities, beneficial, agreeable, e.g. "good for food" (Ge 2:9); "We will do thee good" (Nu 10:29); Who will show us any good?" (Ps 4:6); "good tidings of good" (Isa 52:7).

[is] good a poor [person] [who] walks in integrity his more than [the] [person] perverse of lips his and he [is] a fool
רָ֭שׁrash a poor [person] H7326 Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
24× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To be poor or destitute, often used to describe someone who lacks material possessions or is in need, as seen in the story of the poor widow in Mark 12:42. This verb can also be used to describe someone who is spiritually poor or lacking.
Amplified meaning
destitute, lacking
Tyndale gloss
be poor
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רוּשׁ (ruwsh) means to be poor or in want, covering the state of lacking resources or necessities. It can refer to a poor man or the action of impoverishing oneself, as noted in various forms like the Qal and Hithpolel. The entries indicate a focus on destitution and neediness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[רוּשׁ or רִישׁ] 24 vb. be in want, poor

Qal young lions are in want and hunger

Hithpō‛lēl one impoverishing himself

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7326 [רוּשׁ or רִישׁ] be in want, poor

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7326 ruwsh roosh

a primitive root; to be destitute:--lack, needy, (make self)

poor (man).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רוּשׁ (rush) — be poor.

1) to be poor, be in want, lack

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be poor

1a2) to be in want or hunger

1a3) poor man (subst)

1b)(Hithpolel) one impoverishing himself (participle)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
HVqrmsa
[is] good a poor [person] [who] walks in integrity his more than [the] [person] perverse of lips his and he [is] a fool
הוֹלֵ֣ךְho.Lekh [who] walks H1980 Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
1,549× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means to walk or go, used in many different contexts in the Bible. It can describe physical movement, but also spiritual or emotional journeys. Appears in various forms, such as 'to go' or 'to walk'.
Amplified meaning
lives, conducts himself
Tyndale gloss
to go: walk
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הָלַךְ (halak) means 'to go,' 'come,' or 'walk,' and covers a wide range of literal and figurative uses, including aspects of life and death. It can describe physical movement, moral conduct, and even influence on character. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal, Piel, and Hithpael, indicating different nuances like leading or traversing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָלַךְ 1546 vb. go, come, walk

Qal Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך

lit.

of persons

Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations

in like manner of inanimate things

The inf. abs. is often used

as in other vbs., quite independently

to intensify meaning of finite form

most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs.

with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance

with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)

in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. adj. denoting progress, advance

twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion

quite by itself

13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.

akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.

In combination with other verbal forms

Fig.; the most common uses follow; in most the origin in a literal meaning is evident:

pass away, die

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1980 הָלַךְ go, come, walk .Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך . lit. . of persons

. Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations

. in like manner of inanimate things

. The inf. abs. is often used . as in other vbs., quite independently

. to intensify meaning of finite form

. most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs. . with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance

. with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)

. in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. + adj. denoting progress, advance

. twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion

. quite by itself

. 13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.

. akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.

. In combination with other verbal forms

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1980 halak haw-lak'

akin to 3212; a primitive root; to walk (in a great variety

of applications, literally and figuratively):--(all) along,

apace, behave (self), come, (on) continually, be conversant,

depart, + be eased, enter, exercise (self), + follow, forth,

forward, get, go (about, abroad, along, away, forward, on,

out, up and down), + greater, grow, be wont to haunt, lead,

march, X more and more, move (self), needs, on, pass (away),

be at the point, quite, run (along), + send, speedily, spread,

still, surely, + tale-bearer, + travel(-ler), walk (abroad,

on, to and fro, up and down, to places), wander, wax,

(way-)faring man, X be weak, whirl.

see HEBREW for 03212

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: went.

: went/go[away]

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

1c2) to walk about

1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: come.

: come[nearer]

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

1c2) to walk about

1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: walk.

: walk/move

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
HVqrmsa
[is] good a poor [person] [who] walks in integrity his more than [the] [person] perverse of lips his and he [is] a fool
בְּתֻמּ֑וֹbe.tu.Mo in integrity his H8537 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
23× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means being complete or having integrity, and is used to describe someone who is innocent and morally pure. In the Bible, it describes people who are full of integrity and live with simplicity. It is often translated as 'integrity' or 'upright'.
Amplified meaning
uprightness, moral purity
Tyndale gloss
integrity
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תֹּם (tom) refers to completeness or integrity, encompassing notions of fullness, innocence, and simplicity. It is derived from a root meaning to be complete or perfect. The word appears in contexts related to moral uprightness and wholeness, though the specific verses are not detailed in the entries.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

תֹּם n.[m.] completeness, integrity

completeness, fulness

innocence, simplicity

integrity

תֻּמִּים

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8537 תֹּם completeness, integrity

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8537 tom tome

from 8552; completeness; figuratively, prosperity; usually

(morally) innocence:--full, integrity, perfect(-ion),

simplicity, upright(-ly, -ness), at a venture. See 8550.

see HEBREW for 08552

see HEBREW for 08550

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תֹּם (tom) — integrity.

1) integrity, completeness

1a) completeness, fulness

1b) innocence, simplicity

1c) integrity

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hiz: Used often in the King James Version with reference to a neuter or inanimate thing, or to a lower animal (Ge 1:11, "after his kind"; Le 1:16, "pluck away his crop"; Ac 12:10, "of his own accord"; 1Co 15:38, "his own body"), etc. the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "its."

[is] good a poor [person] [who] walks in integrity his more than [the] [person] perverse of lips his and he [is] a fool
מֵעִקֵּ֥שׁme.'i.Kesh more than [the] [person] perverse of H6141 Preposition
11× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for something that is twisted or distorted, and can also refer to someone who is being false or perverse. It is used to describe something that is not straight or honest. The KJV translates it as crooked or froward.
Amplified meaning
twisted, distorted, false
Tyndale gloss
twisted
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עִקֵּשׁ (iqqesh) means twisted or perverted, conveying a sense of distortion or crookedness. It is derived from the root word עָקַשׁ (‘aqash), which also relates to these themes. The entries consistently emphasize its negative connotations, describing something that is false or morally corrupt.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עִקֵּשׁ adj. twisted, perverted

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6141 עִקֵּשׁ twisted, perverted

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6141 `iqqesh ik-kashe'

from 6140; distorted; hence, false:--crooked, froward,

perverse.

see HEBREW for 06140

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עִקֵּשׁ (iq.qesh) — twisted.

twisted, distorted, crooked, perverse, perverted

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Adj — Preposition
HR/Aamsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

[is] good a poor [person] [who] walks in integrity his more than [the] [person] perverse of lips his and he [is] a fool
שְׂ֝פָתָ֗יוSe.fa.Tav lips his H8193 Noun common feminine dual construct · suffix
176× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to lips or language, and can also mean the edge or border of something. It is used in the Bible to describe the shore of a sea or the edge of a cup.
Amplified meaning
language, words
Tyndale gloss
lips
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שָׂפָה (*saphah*) encompasses meanings related to 'lip,' 'speech,' and 'edge.' It is derived from concepts of termination, suggesting boundaries like the edge of a vessel or the bank of a river. The word can refer to physical lips, language, or the edges of various objects, including shores.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׂפָה 176 n.f. lip, speech, edge

lip

language

edge: shore of sea; bank of river

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8193 שָׂפָה lip, speech, edge . lip

. language

. edge: shore of sea; bank of river

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8193 saphah saw-faw'

or (in dual and plural) sepheth {sef-eth'}; probably from

5595 or 8192 through the idea of termination (compare 5490);

the lip (as a natural boundary); by implication, language; by

analogy, a margin (of a vessel, water, cloth, etc.):--band,

bank, binding, border, brim, brink, edge, language, lip,

prating, ((sea-))shore, side, speech, talk, (vain) words.

see HEBREW for 05595

see HEBREW for 08192

see HEBREW for 05490

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׂפָה (sa.phah) — lips.

: lips/mouth

1) lip, language, speech, shore, bank, brink, brim, side, edge, border, binding

1a) lip (as body part)

1b) language

1c) edge, shore, bank (of cup, sea, river, etc)

שָׂפָה (sa.phah) — lip: words.

: words/language

1) lip, language, speech, shore, bank, brink, brim, side, edge, border, binding

1a) lip (as body part)

1b) language

1c) edge, shore, bank (of cup, sea, river, etc)

שָׂפָה (sa.phah) — lip: edge.

: edge/border/opening

1) lip, language, speech, shore, bank, brink, brim, side, edge, border, binding

1a) lip (as body part)

1b) language

1c) edge, shore, bank (of cup, sea, river, etc)

שָׂפָה (sa.phah) — lip: shore.

: shore/bank(of_sea/river)

1) lip, language, speech, shore, bank, brink, brim, side, edge, border, binding

1a) lip (as body part)

1b) language

1c) edge, shore, bank (of cup, sea, river, etc)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fd | Suff — Noun common feminine dual construct · suffix
HNcfdc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hiz: Used often in the King James Version with reference to a neuter or inanimate thing, or to a lower animal (Ge 1:11, "after his kind"; Le 1:16, "pluck away his crop"; Ac 12:10, "of his own accord"; 1Co 15:38, "his own body"), etc. the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "its."

[is] good a poor [person] [who] walks in integrity his more than [the] [person] perverse of lips his and he [is] a fool
וְה֣וּאve.Hu' and he H1931 Conjunction · pronoun
1,879× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is a pronoun meaning 'he', 'she', or 'it', used to refer to a person or thing. It is used in the Bible to emphasize a subject or make it clear who is being talked about.
Tyndale gloss
he/she/it
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הוּא (hu) is a third-person singular pronoun meaning he, she, or it, used for emphasis or when no verb is present. It can also refer to oneself or serve as a demonstrative pronoun. The word has various nuances, including resuming the subject with emphasis or expressing it unobtrusively. It can indicate 'that' or 'those' when used with the definite article.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הוּא m. הִיא f., pron. of the 3rd ps. sing. he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it

an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)

It resumes the subj. with emph.

Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible

It anticipates (as it seems) the subject

As an emph. predicate, of God

In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)

With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1931 הוּא, הִיא he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it . an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)

. It resumes the subj. with emph.

. Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible

. It anticipates (as it seems) the subject

. As an emph. predicate, of God

. In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)

. With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1931 huw' hoo

of which the feminine (beyond the Pentateuch) is hiyw {he}; a

primitive word, the third person pronoun singular, he (she or

it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also

(intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same;

sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally

(instead of copula) as or are:--he, as for her, him(-self),

it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they,

this, those, which (is), who.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הוּא (hu) — he/she/it.

pron 3p s

1) he, she, it

1a) himself (with emphasis)

1b) resuming subj with emphasis

1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate)

1d) (anticipating subj)

1e) (emphasising predicate)

1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron

2) that (with article)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/Pp3ms — Conjunction · pronoun
HC/Pp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ha: The fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet; transliterated in this Encyclopedia as "h." It came also to be used for the number 5. For name, etc., see ALPHABET.

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
[is] good a poor [person] [who] walks in integrity his more than [the] [person] perverse of lips his and he [is] a fool
כְסִֽיל׃khe.Sil [is] a fool H3684 Adj
70× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word describes a fool or someone who is stupid and silly. It is often used to describe people who reject God's wisdom. The Bible uses this word to warn against foolish behavior.
Amplified meaning
stupid, silly, one who rejects God
Tyndale gloss
fool
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כְּסִיל (kciyl) refers to a fool or a stupid person. It is derived from a root meaning 'fat' and is used figuratively to describe someone who is foolish, simple-minded, or arrogant. The term appears in various contexts in the Old Testament, emphasizing a lack of wisdom or understanding.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כְּסִיל 70 n.m. stupid fellow, dullard, fool

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3684 כְּסִיל

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3684 kciyl kes-eel'

from 3688; properly, fat, i.e. (figuratively) stupid or

silly:--fool(-ish).

see HEBREW for 03688

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כְּסִיל (ke.sil) — fool.

fool, stupid fellow, dullard, simpleton, arrogant one

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAamsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Any person who does not act wisely, that is, does not follow the warnings and requirements of God, which are founded in infinite wisdom. Hence "a fool" is put for a wicked man, an enemy or neglecter of God, Ps 14:1 Pr 19:1. So folly is put for wickedness, 2Sa 13:12,13 Ps 38:5, foolish lusts for wicked lusts, etc. Foolish talking, foolish questions, are vain, empty, unprofitable conversation, 2Ti 2:23.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ General scriptures concerning Ps 5:5; 14:1; 53:1; 74:18-22; 107:17; Pr 1:7,22; 3:35; 9:6-8,13-17; 10:1,8,10,13,14,18,23; 14:1,7-9,15; 15:7,20,21; 17:24,25; 18:2,6,7; 19:13; 20:3; 21:20; 26:3-12; 29:9,11; Ec 4:5; 7:9; 10:11-15; Mt 7:26,27; Tit 3:3

→ PARABLES OF

Of the foolish virgns Mt 25:1-13

Of the rich fool Lu 12:16-20

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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