Proverbs 24:11 — Word Study
WLCהַ֭צֵּל לְקֻחִ֣ים לַמָּ֑וֶת וּמָטִ֥ים לַ֝הֶ֗רֶג אִם־ תַּחְשֽׂוֹךְ׃
BSARescuenâtsal [deliver, snatch away] those being led awaylâqach to deathmâveth [unto death, to be slain] and restrainchâsak▸ [withhold, hold back] those stumblingmôwṭ [drawn, ready] toward the slaughterhereg [to be slaughtered, killed]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| הַ֭צֵּל | deliver | Verb, Hiphil, imperative second person masculine singular |
| לְקֻחִ֣ים | [those being] taken | Verb, Qal, participle (passive) masculine plural |
| לַמָּ֑וֶת | to death | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| וּמָטִ֥ים | and [those who] are staggering | Conjunction, noun common masculine plural absolute |
| לַ֝הֶ֗רֶג | to the slaughter | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| אִם־ | if | Particle |
| תַּחְשֽׂוֹךְ׃ | you will restrain | Verb, Qal, imperfect second person masculine singular |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Rescue those being led away to death, and restrain those stumbling toward the slaughter. |
| KJV | If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain; |
| ASV | Deliver them that are carried away unto death, And those that are ready to be slain see that thou hold back. |
| YLT | If [from] delivering those taken to death, And those slipping to the slaughter — thou keepest back. |
| WEB | Rescue those who are being led away to death! Indeed, hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter! |
| BBE | Be the saviour of those who are given up to death, and do not keep back help from those who are slipping to destruction. |
Translations agree on the core message of rescue and restraint.
The verse contains two main clauses linked by a conjunction, emphasizing the dual actions of rescue and restraint.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbנָצַל
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 24:11
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 — A Call to Actiongenerated
Proverbs 24:11 emphasizes the importance of rescuing those who are in peril of death and restraining those who are about to be harmed. This verse highlights a moral obligation to intervene in situations of injustice and danger, aligning with the broader themes of wisdom literature that call for righteous action and compassion. The surrounding verses reinforce the urgency of the message, reminding the reader of their responsibility to act when they witness wrongdoing.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 Samuel 26:8–9 | Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hand. Now, therefore, please let me thrust the spear through him into the ground with one stroke. I will not need to strike him twice!” |
| 2 | Job 29:17 | I shattered the fangs of the unjust and snatched the prey from his teeth. |
| 3 | Psalm 82:4 | Rescue the weak and needy; save them from the hand of the wicked. |
| 4 | Isaiah 58:6–7 | Isn’t this the fast that I have chosen: to break the chains of wickedness, to untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and tear off every yoke? |
| 5 | Luke 10:31–32 | Now by chance a priest was going down the same road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 10 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — נָצַל, Ha.tzelgenerated
The verb נָצַל (natsal) is an imperative form, commanding the reader to deliver or rescue those in danger. It is derived from a root meaning to snatch away, indicating a swift and decisive action to save someone from harm.
In this context, it conveys a strong moral imperative to intervene on behalf of those who cannot save themselves, highlighting a key aspect of ethical behavior in the face of injustice.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verbs נָצַל and תַּחְשׂוֹךְ govern the two main clauses of the verse, with each clause providing a distinct action: rescuing and restraining. The structure emphasizes the urgency of both actions.
The Hebrew word order places the actions at the forefront, underscoring the immediate responsibility of the reader to act in situations of danger.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates נָצַל as ῥῦσαι (rhusai), which also means to deliver or rescue. This choice maintains the sense of urgent intervention.
For לַמָּוֶת, the LXX uses θάνατον (thanaton), reinforcing the seriousness of the danger being addressed.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Proverbs 24:11 instructs us to rescue those who are being taken away to death and to hold back those who are stumbling toward slaughter. This verse emphasizes the importance of acting to save others from harm and injustice.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It means to take action to save individuals who are in immediate danger of losing their lives.
It is crucial to prevent harm and injustice, showing compassion and moral responsibility towards those at risk.
You can look for opportunities to help those in distress or danger, whether through advocacy, support, or direct intervention.
It teaches that we have a duty to act on behalf of others, especially those who are vulnerable and unable to defend themselves.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways can I actively help those who are in danger or distress?
- How do I recognize situations where intervention is necessary?
- What barriers might prevent me from acting when I see injustice?
- How can I cultivate a greater sense of compassion and responsibility toward others?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early Church Fathers comment on this verse to emphasize the importance of compassion and moral responsibility in helping those in danger.
“Redeem those who are ready to be slain; spare no effort.” [Solomon] did not say, “Enquire curiously, and learn who they are,” and yet for the most part they who are led away to execution are wicked. This especially is charity.Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 24 →
From your own example, therefore, learn to be compassionate toward those who struggle, and never frighten with bleak despair those who are in trouble or unsettle them with harsh words.Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 24 →
Learn from your own experience to sympathize with those in trouble and never terrify with destructive despair those who are in danger, nor harden them with severe speeches, but rather restore them with gentle and kindly consolations.Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 24 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Proverbs 24:11 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleIf thou forbear to deliver [them that are] drawn unto death,.... Or "taken for or unto death" (h), in a violent way; who are taken by thieves and robbers, and used in a barbarous manner, as the man
Read John Gill on Proverbs 24 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryIf thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain; If thou forbear to deliver (them that are) drawn unto death, and (those that are) ready to be
Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 24 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleTo deliver them, when it is in thy power to do it lawfully. Drawn unto death, to wit, unjustly, or by the violence of lawless men. That are ready to be slain; that are in present danger of death or destruction.
Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 24 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsProverbs 24:11 If thou forbear to deliver [them that are] drawn unto death, and [those that are] ready to be slain;Ver. 11. If thou forbear to deliver them, &c.] That is, That are wrongfully butchered. Here, not to save a man, if it be in our power, is to destroy him. Job "brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the prey out of his teeth." The people rescued Jonathan, and Ebedmelech Jeremiah. Henry VIII delivered his Queen Katherine, and King Philip with his Spaniards kept the Lady Elizabeth from the cruel mercies of Stephen Gardiner, who had designed them destruction. Sir George Blage (one of King Henry VIII’ s privy chamber), being condemned for a heretic, was yet pardoned by the king.…
Read John Trapp on Proverbs 24 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(11) If thou forbear . . .—Rather, Deliver those that are taken to death, and those that are tottering to the slaughter, stop them!
Read Charles John Ellicott on Proverbs 24 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 11. If thou forbear to deliver] If thou seest the innocent taken by the hand of lawless power or superstitious zeal, and they are about to be put to death, thou shouldst rise up in their behalf, boldly plead for them, testify to their innocence when thou knowest it; and thus thou wilt not be guilty of blood; which thou wouldst be, if, through any pretense, thou shouldst neglect to save the life of a man unjustly condemned.
Read AdamClarke on Proverbs 24 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges11. drawn unto death … ready to be slain] whether by unjust judgement, or by violence. In the first case you may deliver a soul by giving true witness (Proverbs 14:25), in the second, by not passing by like the priest and the Levite on the other side, but by rendering help with the good Samaritan. It is better to take this verse as complete in itself, with LXX. (ῥῦσαιἀγομένουςεἰςθάνατον, καὶἐκπρίουκτεινομένους, μὴφείσῃ); Vulg., Erue eos qui ducuntur ad mortem; et qui trahuntur ad interitum liberare necesses; and with R.V. Deliver them that are carried away unto death, And those that are ready to be slain see that thou hold back. ready to be slain] Lit. tottering to the slaughter.
Read Cambridge on Proverbs 24 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleLiterally: “Deliver those that are drawn unto death, And those who totter to the slaughter - if Thou withdraw ...” i. e., “O withdraw them,” save them from their doom; in contrast to Proverbs 24:10.
Read Albert Barnes on Proverbs 24 →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
Rescue those being led away to death, and restrain those stumbling toward the slaughter.
Rescue those who are being led away to death! Indeed, hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter!
Rescue those being led away to death, and restrain those stumbling toward the slaughter.
Deliver those being taken away to death, and hold back those slipping to the slaughter.
Tyndale line
If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain;
Deliver them that are carried away unto death, And those that are ready to be slain see that thou hold back.
Deliver them that are carried away unto death, and those that are ready to be slain see that thou hold back.
If thou forbearest to deliver them that are drawn to death, and those that are ready to be slain;
Deliuer them that are drawen to death: wilt thou not preserue them that are led to be slaine?
Strictly literal
Deliver them that are taken forth unto death, and withdraw not from them that stagger to slaughter.
If [from] delivering those taken to death, And those slipping to the slaughter — thou keepest back.
If [from] delivering those taken to death, || And you take back those slipping to the slaughter.
Deliver those that are taken unto death, and those that are moved away to the slaughter hold back.
Rescue those who are being taken away to death and hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter.
From the Latin
Deliver them that are led to death: and those that are drawn to death forbear not to deliver.
Simplified
Rescue those who are being led away to be executed; save those who are stumbling on their way to be slaughtered.
Be the saviour of those who are given up to death, and do not keep back help from those who are slipping to destruction.
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 of Proverbs 24:11 reads, "הַ֭צֵּל לְקֻחִ֣ים לַמָּ֑וֶת וּמָטִ֥ים לַ֝הֶ֗רֶג אִם־ תַּחְשֽׂוֹךְ׃" which translates to "Rescue those being led away to death, and restrain those stumbling toward the slaughter." The Septuagint closely aligns with this text, as all seven words match in meaning, although the word order and articles differ due to the nature of Greek syntax. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Dead Sea Scrolls do not provide a differing text for this verse, thus confirming the agreement with the Masoretic Text. This consistency across the witnesses highlights the importance of the message in this verse regarding the responsibility to protect those in danger.
הַ֭צֵּל לְקֻחִ֣ים לַמָּ֑וֶת וּמָטִ֥ים לַ֝הֶ֗רֶג אִם־ תַּחְשֽׂוֹךְ׃
7 of the 7 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 24:11
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 נָצַל (natsal) is built from a primitive root meaning to snatch away, with various usages across different stems. It covers a range of meanings including to rescue, deliver, plunder, and strip. The word appears in contexts of delivering oneself or being delivered, as well as rescuing from enemies or sin.
[נָצַל] 212 vb. not in Qal; Pi. strip, plunder; Niph. deliver oneself, be delivered Hiph. snatch away, deliver
Niph.
reflex. tear oneself away, deliver oneself
passive, be torn out or away
Pi.
strip off, spoil
deliver
Hiph.
take away, snatch away
rescue, recover
deliver from
deliver from sin and guilt
Hoph. as a brand plucked out of the burning
Hithp. and they stripped themselves of their ornaments.
base
H5337 נָצַל not in Qal; Pi. strip, plunder; Niph. deliver oneself, be delivered Hiph. snatch away, deliver
5337 natsal naw-tsal'
a primitive root; to snatch away, whether in a good or a bad
sense:- X at all, defend, deliver (self), escape, X without
fail, part, pluck, preserve, recover, rescue, rid, save,
spoil, strip, X surely, take (out).
נָצַל (na.tsal) — to rescue.
1) to snatch away, deliver, rescue, save, strip, plunder
1a)(Niphal)
1a1) to tear oneself away, deliver oneself
1a2) to be torn out or away, be delivered
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to strip off, spoil
1b2) to deliver
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to take away, snatch away
1c2) to rescue, recover
1c3) to deliver (from enemies or troubles or death)
1c4) to deliver from sin and guilt
1d) (Hophal) to be plucked out
1e) (Hithpael) to strip oneself
Aramaic equivalent: ne.tsal (נְצַל "to rescue" H5338)
V-Hiphil-Impv-2ms — Verb · Hiphil · imperative second person masculine singularHVhv2ms
de-liv'-er (natsal, nathan; rhuomai, paradidomi): Occurs very frequently in the Old Testament and represents various Hebrew terms.
The English word is used in two senses,
(1) "to set free," etc.,
(2) "to give up or over."
(1) The word most often translated "deliver" in the first sense is natsal, meaning originally, perhaps, "to draw out." It is used of all kinds of deliverance (Ge 32:11; Ps 25:20; 143:9, etc.; Jer 7:10; Eze 3:19, etc.; Ze 1:18, etc.). The Aramaic netsal occurs in Da 3:29; 6:14; 8:4,7; yasha`, "to save," in Jud 3:9,31 the King James Version, etc. ; malaT…
The Hebrew word לָקַח (*laqach*) means 'to take' and encompasses a wide range of actions, including to receive, seize, capture, and carry away. It can refer to taking something in hand, taking a wife, or even taking vengeance. The verb has various forms indicating different nuances, such as being taken away or captured.
לָקַח 965 vb. take
Qal
take, take in hand
take and carry along with oneself
take from, or out of
take, carry away
take away from, so as to deprive of
esp. take away life
take to or for a person
take up, upon = put upon
= fetch
take = lead, conduct (with or without contact)
take = capture, seize
take = carry off
in phr. take vengeance
Niph.
be captured, of ark
be taken away, removed
be taken, brought unto
Pu.
be taken from, out of
= be stolen from
be taken captive
be taken away, removed
Hoph.
be taken, brought unto
be taken out of
be taken away from
Hithp. lit. fire taking hold of itself, of lightning
base
H3947 לָקַח take .. take, take in hand
. take and carry along with oneself
. . take from, or out of
. take, carry away
. take away from, so as to deprive of
. esp. take away life
. take to or for a person
. take up, upon = put upon
. = fetch
. take = lead, conduct (with or without contact)
. take = capture, seize
. take = carry off
. in phr. take vengeance
. . be captured, of ark
. be taken away, removed
. be taken, brought unto
. . be taken from, out of
. = be stolen from
. be taken captive
. be taken away, removed
. . be taken, brought unto
. be taken out of
. be taken away from
. lit. fire taking hold of itself, of lightning
3947 laqach law-kakh'
a primitive root; to take (in the widest variety of
applications):--accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch,
get, infold, X many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve,
seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win.
לָקַח (la.qach) — to take: take.
: take
1) to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to take, take in the hand
1a2) to take and carry along
1a3) to take from, take out of, take, carry away, take away
1a4) to take to or for a person, procure, get, take possession of, select, choose, take in marriage, receive, accept
1a5) to take up or upon, put upon
1a6) to fetch
1a7) to take, lead, conduct
1a8) to take, capture, seize
1a9) to take, carry off 1a10) to take (vengeance)
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be captured
1b2) to be taken away, be removed
1b3) to be taken, brought unto
1c) (Pual)
1c1) to be taken from or out of
1c2) to be stolen from
1c3) to be taken captive
1c4) to be taken away, be removed
1d) (Hophal)
1d1) to be taken unto, be brought unto
1d2) to be taken out of
1d3) to be taken away
1e) (Hithpael)
1e1) to take hold of oneself
V-Qal-Inf-c — Verb · Qal · participle (passive) masculine pluralHVqsmpa
מָ֫וֶת (maveth) means 'death' and encompasses various aspects such as natural or violent death, the state of being dead, and the realm of the dead (hades). It can also refer to pestilence or ruin. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to die' and has an Aramaic equivalent, מוֹת (mot).
מָ֫וֶת 161 n.m. death
death, opp. life
death by violence
state of death or place of death
base
H4194 מָ֫וֶת death
4194 maveth maw'-veth
from 4191; death (natural or violent); concretely, the dead,
their place or state (hades); figuratively, pestilence,
ruin:--(be) dead((-ly)), death, die(-d).
see HEBREW for 04191
מָ֫וֶת (ma.vet) — death.
1) death, dying, Death (personified), realm of the dead
1a) death
1b) death by violence (as a penalty)
1c) state of death, place of death
Aramaic equivalent: mot (מוֹת "death" H4193)
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHRd/Ncmsa
(maweth; thanatos):
PHYSIOLOGICAL AND FIGURATIVE VIEW
The word "Death" is used in the sense of
(1) the process of dying (Ge 21:16);
(2) the period of decease (Ge 27:7);
(3) as a possible synonym for poison (2Ki 4:40);
(4) as descriptive of person in danger of perishing (Jud 15:18; "in deaths oft" 2Co 11:23). In this sense the shadow of death is a familiar expression in Job, the Psalms and the Prophets;
Death
May be simply defined as the termination of life. It is represented under a variety of aspects in Scripture: (1.) “The dust shall return to the earth as it was” (Eccl. 12:7).
(2.) “Thou takest away their breath, they die” (Ps. 104:29).
(3.) It is the dissolution of “our earthly house of this tabernacle” (2 Cor. 5:1); the “putting off this tabernacle” (2 Pet. 1:13, 14).
(4.) Being “unclothed” (2 Cor. 5:3, 4).
(5.) “Falling on sleep” (Ps. 76:5; Jer. 51:39;
Is taken in Scripture, first, for the separation of body and soul, the first death, Ge 25:11; secondly, for alienation from God, and exposure to his wrath, 1Jo 3:14, etc.; thirdly, for the second death, that of eternal damnation. Death was the penalty affixed to Adam’s transgression, Ge 2:17 3:19; and all his posterity are transgressors, and share the curse inflicted upon him. CHRIST is "our life." All believers share his life, spiritually and eternally; and though sin and bodily is taken away, and in the resurrection the last enemy shall be trampled under foot, Ro 5:12-21 1Co 15:1-58.
מוֹט (mot) is a Hebrew verb meaning to totter, shake, or slip. It has various forms, including Qal (to totter), Niphal (to be shaken), Hiphil (to dislodge), and Hithpael (to be greatly shaken). The entries indicate a range of meanings related to instability and movement, but do not specify any particular Old Testament verses.
[מוֹט] vb. totter, shake, slip
Qal totter, slip
Niph. be shaken, moved, overthrown
Hiph. dislodge, let fall, drop
Hithpo‛l. be greatly shaken
base
H4131 [מוֹט] totter, shake, slip
4131 mowt mote
a primitive root; to waver; by implication , to slip, shake,
fall:--be carried, cast, be out of course, be fallen in
decay, X exceedingly, fall(-ing down), be (re-)moved, be
ready, shake, slide, slip.
מוֹט (mot) — to shake.
1) to totter, shake, slip
1a) (Qal) to totter, shake, slip
1b) (Niphal) to be shaken, be moved, be overthrown
1c) (Hiphil) to dislodge, let fall, drop
1d) (Hithpael) to be greatly shaken
Conj | V-Qal — Conjunction · noun common masculine plural absoluteHC/Ncmpa
The Hebrew word הֶ֫רֶג (*hereg*) means "slaughter" or "killing." It is derived from a related root, הָרַג (*harag*), which also pertains to killing. The entries consistently define it in the context of slaughter, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
הֶ֫רֶג n.m. slaughter
base
H2027 הֶ֫רֶג slaughter
2027 hereg heh'-reg
from 2026; slaughter:--be slain, slaughter.
see HEBREW for 02026
הֶ֫רֶג (he.reg) — slaughter.
a killing, slaughter
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHRd/Ncmsa
אִם (im) is a Hebrew conjunction primarily meaning 'if' and is used in various contexts, including conditional clauses and interrogative situations. It can also express negation, alternatives, or exceptions, and appears frequently in the Old Testament. The lexicons note its use in oaths and its ability to connect different clauses, sometimes altering their meanings.
אִם conj.
hypoth. part. if
Interrog. part.
base
כִּי אם־
each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:
that if
for if
(About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—
limiting the prec. clause, except
the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but
after an oath, surely
base
H518a אִם conj. . hypoth. part. if
. Interrog. part.
H518b כִּי אם־ . each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause: . that if
. for if
. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause— . limiting the prec. clause, except
. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but
. after an oath, surely
518 'im eem
a primitive particle; used very widely as demonstrative, lo!;
interrog., whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh
that!, when; hence, as a negative, not:--(and, can-,
doubtless, if, that) (not), + but, either, + except, +
more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or,
+ save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, + surely (no more,
none, not), though, + of a truth, + unless, + verily, when,
whereas, whether, while, + yet.
אִם (im) — if.
: if/whether_or/though
1) if
1a) conditional clauses
1a1) of possible situations
1a2) of impossible situations
1b) oath contexts
1b1) no, not
1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or
1d) when, whenever
1e) since
1f) interrogative particle
1g) but rather
[כִּי] אם (ki im) — if: except.
1) except if
1a) but if
אִם (im) — if: surely no.
: surely_no
1) if
1a) conditional clauses
1a1) of possible situations
1a2) of impossible situations
1b) oath contexts
1b1) no, not
1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or
1d) when, whenever
1e) since
1f) interrogative particle
1g) but rather
אִם (im) — if: surely yes.
: surely_yes
1) if
1a) conditional clauses
1a1) of possible situations
1a2) of impossible situations
1b) oath contexts
1b1) no, not
1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or
1d) when, whenever
1e) since
1f) interrogative particle
1g) but rather
אִם (im) — if: until.
: until/except
HTc — ParticleHTc
חָשַׂךְ (chasak) is a Hebrew verb meaning to withhold or refrain. It encompasses actions like restraining, keeping back, and sparing, with nuances of preserving and holding in check. The word appears in various forms, including Qal and Niphal, indicating both active and passive meanings. There are no significant disagreements among the lexicons regarding its definitions.
חָשַׂךְ vb. withhold, refrain
Qal
withhold, keep back, keep for oneself
keep one from evil, calamity
hold in check
refrain
spare
reserve for
(abs.) restrain, check (pain) i.e. assuage
Niph. at the day of calamity the wicked is spared
base
H2820 חָשַׂךְ withhold, refrain
2820 chasak khaw-sak'
a primitive root; to restrain or (reflex.) refrain; by
implication, to refuse, spare, preserve; also (by interch.
with 2821) to observe:--assuage, X darken, forbear, hinder,
hold back, keep (back), punish, refrain, reserve, spare,
withhold.
see HEBREW for 02821
חָשַׂךְ (cha.sakh) — to withhold.
1) to withhold, restrain, hold back, keep in check, refrain
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to withhold, keep back, keep for oneself, keep from, hold in check, refrain, spare, reserve
1a2) to restrain, check
1b) (Niphal) to assuage, be spared
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect second person masculine singularHVqi2ms