Proverbs 2:15 — Word Study
WLCאֲשֶׁ֣ר אָרְחֹתֵיהֶ֣ם עִקְּשִׁ֑ים וּ֝נְלוֹזִ֗ים בְּמַעְגְּלוֹתָֽם׃
BSAwhoseʼăsher pathsʼôrach [crooked, twisted] are crookedʻiqqêsh [perverse, turned to evil] and whose waysmaʻgâl [deceitful, froward] are deviouslûwz [wayward, turned aside from what is right]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | who | Particle |
| אָרְחֹתֵיהֶ֣ם | paths their | Noun common feminine plural construct, suffix |
| עִקְּשִׁ֑ים | [are] twisted | Adj |
| וּ֝נְלוֹזִ֗ים | and [who are] crooked | Conjunction, verb niphal participle (active) masculine plural |
| בְּמַעְגְּלוֹתָֽם׃ | in tracks their | Preposition, noun common feminine plural construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | whose paths are crooked and whose ways are devious. |
| KJV | Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths: |
| ASV | Who are crooked in their ways, And wayward in their paths: |
| YLT | Whose paths [are] crooked, Yea, they are perverted in their ways. |
| WEB | who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths, |
| BBE | Whose ways are not straight, and whose footsteps are turned to evil: |
Where they part company is עִקְּשִׁ֑ים — see How Translations Differ.
The main clause is supported by two descriptive phrases, emphasizing the nature of the paths and ways.
6 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
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 — Proverbs 2:15
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 — Warning Against the Wickedgenerated
Proverbs 2:15 warns about the paths of those who are morally corrupt and deceitful. This verse follows a discussion on the importance of wisdom and understanding, emphasizing the need to avoid those who engage in wickedness and lead others astray. The surrounding verses highlight the contrast between the righteous and the wicked, illustrating the consequences of choosing the wrong path.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deuteronomy 32:5 | His people have acted corruptly toward Him; the spot on them is not that of His children, but of a perverse and crooked generation. |
| 2 | Psalm 125:5 | But those who turn to crooked ways the LORD will banish with the evildoers. Peace be upon Israel. |
| 3 | Isaiah 30:8–13 | Go now, write it on a tablet in their presence and inscribe it on a scroll; it will be for the days to come, a witness forever and ever. |
| 4 | Isaiah 59:8 | The way of peace they have not known, and there is no justice in their tracks. They have turned them into crooked paths; no one who treads on them will know peace. |
| 5 | Philippians 2:15 | so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 5 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — עִקְּשִׁ֑ים, 'i.ke.Shimgenerated
The word עִקֵּשׁ (*'iqesh*) means twisted or perverse, indicating a deviation from what is straight or right. It describes not just physical paths but also moral and ethical conduct, suggesting a lifestyle that is corrupt or dishonest.
As an adjective, it characterizes the paths of those who are morally wrong, aligning with the negative connotations found in wisdom literature. The parsing as an adjective indicates it modifies the noun, emphasizing the nature of their paths.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses crooked for the Hebrew word עִקְּשִׁ֑ים. The KJV and ASV also use perverse, maintaining a similar meaning.
Where translations differ, עִקְּשִׁ֑ים is rendered as turned to evil (BBE) or perverse (DRA, RVA), indicating different nuances in understanding the moral implications of the word.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main clause is formed around the idea of paths and ways, with the finite verb נְלוֹזִ֗ים (*ne'lozim*) indicating the nature of those paths. The structure emphasizes the characteristics of the subjects being described.
The Hebrew word order places the subjects at the beginning, drawing attention to their crookedness and deviousness, which serves as a central theme of the verse.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates עִקְּשִׁ֑ים with σκολιαὶ, which conveys a similar meaning of crookedness or distortion. This choice aligns with the moral implications of the Hebrew term, emphasizing the negative traits of the described individuals.
The Greek term used reflects a consistent understanding of the moral and ethical failures associated with such paths.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Proverbs 2:15 describes people whose lives are marked by deceit and moral corruption. It warns against the paths they take, which are twisted and lead away from what is right.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It means that their ways of living are morally wrong and lead to deceitfulness.
By examining whether my choices align with wisdom and righteousness, and avoiding influences that lead me away from those values.
Following such paths can lead to negative outcomes, including moral failure and separation from what is right.
It highlights the importance of choosing the right path in life and avoiding those who lead others astray.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What are some examples of paths that lead away from wisdom in today's world?
- How can I ensure that my choices align with righteousness?
- In what ways can I support others in choosing the right paths?
- What practical steps can I take to avoid influences that lead to crookedness?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Cyril of Alexandria comments on the moral implications of paths and ways, emphasizing the need for righteousness in one's life.
What is the meaning of “Prepare the way of the Lord”? Make ready for the reception of whatever Christ may wish to enact; withdraw your hearts from the shadow of the law; cease from the types;Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 2 →
Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Proverbs 2:15 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleWhose ways [are] crooked,.... Which swerve from and are not agreeably to the rule of the divine word, either the law of God or the Gospel of Christ; sin is an aberration, a straying from the rule of
Read John Gill on Proverbs 2 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryWhose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths: Whose ways are crooked, and (they) froward in their paths.
Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 2 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleWhose ways are crooked, or, who make their ways crooked, i.e. whose course of life swerves from the right and straight way of God’ s law.
Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 2 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsProverbs 2:15 Whose ways [are] crooked, and [they] froward in their paths:Ver. 15. Whose ways are crooked.] How justly may God say to such, as the crab in the fable did to the serpent, when he had given him his death’ s wound for his crooked conditions, and then saw him stretch himself out straight, At oportuit sic vixisse: It is too late now, you should have lived so. And who are froward.] Absurd, ’Aôïðïé. Men made up of mere incongruities, solacising in opinion, speeches, actions, all.
Read John Trapp on Proverbs 2 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges15. whose ways, &c.] Rather, with R.V.: Who are crooked in their ways, And perverse in their paths.
Read Cambridge on Proverbs 2 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible13-15. Who leave the paths of uprightness — A description of these evil men, needing no comment. Delighting in the frowardness, the wickedness of the wicked, is one of their worst features. Comp. Psalms 50:17-18; Romans 1:32.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Proverbs 2 →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
whose paths are crooked and whose ways are devious.
who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths,
whose paths are crooked and whose ways are devious.
whose paths are morally crooked, and who are devious in their ways;
Tyndale line
Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths:
Who are crooked in their ways, And wayward in their paths:
Who are crooked in their ways, and perverse in their paths:
Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths:
Whose wayes are crooked and they are lewde in their paths.
Strictly literal
whose paths are crooked, and who are perverted in their course:
Whose paths [are] crooked, Yea, they are perverted in their ways.
Whose paths [are] crooked, || Indeed, they are perverted in their ways.
Who as regardeth their paths are crooked, and froward in their tracks.
They follow crooked paths, and using deception they hide their tracks.
From the Latin
Whose ways are perverse, and their steps infamous.
Simplified
They live crooked lives doing deceitful things.
Whose ways are not straight, and whose footsteps are turned to evil:
Word by word, the decisions they made
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 agree closely in their wording for this verse, with all five words matched. This indicates a strong consistency in the transmission of this text across different traditions.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָרְחֹתֵיהֶ֣ם עִקְּשִׁ֑ים וּ֝נְלוֹזִ֗ים בְּמַעְגְּלוֹתָֽם׃
5 of the 5 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 Proverbs 2:15
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.
The Hebrew word אֲשֶׁר (*asher*) is a relative pronoun that can mean 'who,' 'which,' or 'that.' It serves various grammatical functions, including as an adverb or conjunction, indicating relationships between clauses, places, or conditions. Variants like בַאֲשֶׁר (*ba-asher*), מֵאֲשֶׁר (*me-asher*), and כַּאֲשֶׁר (*ka-asher*) expand its usage to specific contexts such as location, causation, and time.
אֲשֶׁר part. of relation A sign of relation, bringing the clause introduced by it into relation with an antecedent clause.
base
בַאֲשֶׁר
in (that) which
adv. in (the place) where
conj. in that, inasmuch as
on account of whom?
base
מֵאֲשֶׁר
from (or than) that which
adv. from (the place) where
conj. from (the fact) that …, since
base
כַּאֲשֶׁר conj. according as, as, when
according to that which, according as, as
with a causal force, in so far as, since
with a temporal force, when
base
H834a אֲשֶׁר part. of relation A sign of relation, bringing the clause introduced by it into relation with an antecedent clause. H834b בַאֲשֶׁר . in (that) which
. adv. in (the place) where
. conj. in that, inasmuch as
. on account of whom?
H834c מֵאֲשֶׁר . from (or than) that which
. adv. from (the place) where
. conj. from (the fact) that …, since
H834d כַּאֲשֶׁר conj. according as, as, when . according to that which, according as, as
. with a causal force, in so far as, since
. with a temporal force, when
834 'aher ash-er'
a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number);
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction)
when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.:--X after, X
alike, as (soon as), because, X every, for, + forasmuch, +
from whence, + how(-soever), X if, (so) that ((thing) which,
wherein), X though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where
(+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, +
whither(- soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is
indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun
expletively, used to show the connection.
אֲשֶׁר (a.sher) — which.
A: 1) (relative part.)
1a) which, who
1b) that which
2) (conj)
2a) that (in obj clause)
2b) when
2c) since
2d) as
2e) conditional if
B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which
2) (adv)
2a) where
3) (conj)
3a) in that, inasmuch as
3b) on account of
C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which
2) from (the place) where
3) from (the fact) that, since
D: Kaph+
1) (conj.), according as, as, when
1a) according to that which, according as, as
1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since
1c) with a temporal force: when
בַאֲשֶׁר (ba.a.sher) — in which.
1) in (that) which
2) (adv)
2a) where
3) (conj)
3a) in that, inasmuch as
3b) on account of
מֵאֲשֶׁר (me.a.sher) — whence.
1) from (or than) that which
2) from (the place) where
3) from (the fact) that, since
כַּאֲשֶׁר (ka.a.sher) — as which.
conj
1) according as, as, when
1a) according to that which, according as, as
Rel — ParticleHTr
אֹ֫רַח (orach) means 'way' or 'path,' and can refer to both literal and figurative routes in life, including one's manner of living or character. It also denotes a traveler or wayfarer. The word is derived from a root meaning a well-trodden road, and it encompasses various aspects of life’s journey.
אֹ֫רַח n.m. way, path
lit.
fig. path, way, of course & fortunes of life
fig. way, of mode of living, or character
by meton. traveller, wayfarer
base
H734 אֹ֫רַח way, path . lit.
. fig. path, way, of course & fortunes of life
. fig. way, of mode of living, or character
. by meton. traveller, wayfarer
734 'orach o'-rakh
from 732; a well-trodden road (literally or figuratively);
also a caravan:--manner, path, race, rank, traveller, troop,
(by-, high-)way.
see HEBREW for 0732
אֹ֫רַח (o.rach) — way.
1) way, path
1a) path, road
1b) the path, way, passing of life (fig.)
1c) way of living (fig.)
1d) traveller, wayfarer (meton)
Aramaic equivalent: o.rach (אֹ֫רַח "way" H0735)
N-cp | Suff — Noun common feminine plural construct · suffixHNcfpc/Sp3mp
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.
עִקֵּשׁ adj. twisted, perverted
base
H6141 עִקֵּשׁ twisted, perverted
6141 `iqqesh ik-kashe'
from 6140; distorted; hence, false:--crooked, froward,
perverse.
see HEBREW for 06140
עִקֵּשׁ (iq.qesh) — twisted.
twisted, distorted, crooked, perverse, perverted
Adj — AdjHAampa
לוּז (luwz) is a Hebrew verb meaning to turn aside or depart. It can describe both a literal departure and a figurative sense of being devious or perverse. The word appears primarily in poetic contexts, often emphasizing the importance of not straying from wisdom or guidance.
[לוּז] vb. (poet., mostly WsdLt) turn aside, depart
Qal let them not (i.e. sound wisdom) depart from thine eyes
Niph. fig., devious, crooked
Hiph. let them [my words] not depart from thine eyes (strictly, let them not practice, exhibit, deviation)
base
H3868 [לוּז] (poet., mostly WsdLt) turn aside, depart .let them not (i.e. sound wisdom) depart from thine eyes
. fig., devious, crooked
. let them [my words] not depart from thine eyes (strictly, let them not practice, exhibit, deviation)
3868 luwz looz
a primitive root; to turn aside (compare 3867, 3874 and
3885), i.e. (literally) to depart, (figuratively) be
perverse:--depart, froward, perverse(-ness).
see HEBREW for 03867
see HEBREW for 03874
see HEBREW for 03885
לוּז (luz) — be devious.
1) to depart, turn aside
1a) (Qal) to depart
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to go wrong, go crooked
1b2) devious, perverse (participle)
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to be lost from view
1c2) to become devious
Conj | V-Niphal — Conjunction · verb niphal participle (active) masculine pluralHC/VNrmpa
krook'-ed (`awah, `aqash, `aqalqal, `aqallathon, pethaltol; skolios): Primarily designates something that is bent, twisted or deformed (Isa 27:1; 45:2 the King James Version).
Figurative:
(1) It designates a course of action that deviates from rectitude, especially deceit, guile, hypocrisy (De 32:5; Pr 2:15; Ec 1:15; Lu 3:5; compare Php 2:15);
מַעְגָּל (ma`gal) refers to a track or entrenchment, with meanings that include a literal path or figurative way. It can also denote a circular rampart or trench. The entries consistently emphasize its use in contexts related to movement or fortification.
מַעְגָּל n.m. 1. entrenchment. 2. track
base
H4570 מַעְגָּל 1. entrenchment. 2. track
4570 ma`gal mah-gawl'
or feminine mapgalah {mah-gaw-law'}; from the same as 5696; a
track (literally or figuratively); also a rampart (as
circular):--going, path, trench, way((-side)).
see HEBREW for 05696
מַעְגָּל (ma.gal) — track.
1) entrenchment, track
1a) circumvallation, entrenchment
1b) track
Prep | N-mp | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine plural construct · suffixHR/Ncfpc/Sp3mp