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Proverbs 6:12 — Word Study

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WLCאָדָ֣ם בְּ֭לִיַּעַל אִ֣ישׁ אָ֑וֶן ה֝וֹלֵ֗ךְ עִקְּשׁ֥וּת פֶּֽה׃

BSAA worthlessbᵉlîyaʻal [good-for-nothing] personʼâdâm a wickedʼâven [evil, ungodly] manʼîysh walkshâlak [goes on his way, travels] with a perverseʻiqqᵉshûwth [froward, crooked] mouthpeh [lips, speech]

Word
Listen & take awayProverbs 6
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 12 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (Peh) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Proverbs 6:12quick helps
In a sentenceThe verse describes a worthless man characterized by his wickedness and deceitful speech.
Who is speakingThe author of Proverbs, providing wisdom about moral conduct.
Where we areIn a section discussing the traits of the wicked and their consequences.
The hard wordבְּלִיַּעַל
Take awayThe actions and words of the wicked lead to ruin.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbהָלַךְ 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 6:12

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 — Characteristics of the Wickedgenerated

11and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.
12A worthless person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth,
13winking his eyes, speaking with his feet, and pointing with his fingers.
14With deceit in his heart he devises evil; he continually sows discord.

Proverbs 6:12 presents a vivid picture of a worthless person, described as a wicked man who walks with a perverse mouth. This verse is part of a larger section that warns against immoral behavior and the consequences that follow such actions, as seen in the surrounding verses. The author emphasizes the traits of those who lead others astray and the inevitable downfall that comes from their deceitful ways.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Proverbs 11:6The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the faithless are trapped by their own desires.
2Proverbs 17:4A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.
31 Samuel 17:28Now when David’s oldest brother Eliab heard him speaking to the men, his anger burned against David. “Why have you come down here?” he asked. “And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and wickedness of heart—you have come down to see the battle!”
4Jeremiah 24:2–8One basket had very good figs, like those that ripen early, but the other basket contained very poor figs, so bad they could not be eaten.
5James 1:21Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and every expression of evil, and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save your souls.

The Key Word בְּלִיַּעַל, Be.li.ya.'algenerated

The word בְּלִיַּעַל (bliya'al) refers to worthlessness or wickedness, often associated with destruction. It describes individuals or actions that are good for nothing, leading to ruin and moral depravity. The term appears in contexts that emphasize its negative connotation, indicating a strong moral failure.

This word is used to characterize a person who is not only worthless but also actively engages in wickedness, as indicated by the context of the verse. It highlights the moral implications of being labeled as worthless in both societal and spiritual terms.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

Translations of this verse consistently use terms that convey the meaning of worthlessness and wickedness.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb in this verse is הוֹלֵךְ, ho.lekh, meaning 'walks.' It serves as the anchor for the description of the subject, a worthless man, who is characterized by his actions and speech.

The structure of the sentence emphasizes the subject's traits, with the verb leading into a series of noun phrases that describe the man's nature and behavior. The use of participial phrases conveys the ongoing nature of his wickedness.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the Hebrew בְּלִיַּעַל is translated as ἄφρων (aphron), meaning 'foolish' or 'senseless.' This choice reflects a narrowing of the term's focus from worthlessness to a specific moral folly.

The translation indicates a shift in emphasis from the broader concept of worthlessness to the foolishness of the actions and character of the individual, highlighting the moral implications of such behavior.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Proverbs 6:12 warns about a worthless person, a wicked man who speaks deceitfully. This verse highlights the negative traits of such individuals and the consequences of their actions, which are further explored in the surrounding verses.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to be a worthless person?

A worthless person is someone who is morally corrupt and engages in wicked behavior, leading to destruction.

How does the verse describe the speech of a wicked man?

The wicked man is characterized by a perverse mouth, indicating deceitful and immoral speech.

What are the consequences of being wicked according to this verse?

The verse implies that wickedness leads to ruin and negative outcomes, both for the individual and those around them.

How can this verse apply to our lives today?

It serves as a warning to avoid immoral behavior and to be mindful of the words we speak, as they reflect our character.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What are some examples of wickedness in today’s society, and how can we avoid them?
  2. How does the way we speak reflect our character?
  3. In what ways can we encourage others to speak truthfully and avoid deceit?
  4. What steps can we take to ensure our actions align with moral integrity?

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

Bede comments on this verse, discussing the characteristics of a worthless man and the implications of his speech.

BedeCommentary on Proverbs c. 673–735
An apostate man, a useless man walks with a perverse mouth, etc. He spoke of heresies and other kinds of vices; he had instructed a teacher, aroused the sluggard, but now he reproves the schismatic.
Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 6 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Proverbs 6:12 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

A naughty person, a wicked man,.... Or, "a man of Belial, a man of iniquity" (w).

Read John Gill on Proverbs 6 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth. A naughty person (literally, a man of Belial - i:e., worthlessness), a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth.

Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 6 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

He showeth the haughtiness of his heart by the wickedness of his talk and discourses, to which he doth accustom himself, as walking implies.

Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 6 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Proverbs 6:12 A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth.Ver. 12. A naughty person.] Lo, every idle man is a naughty man; is, or ere long will be; for by doing nothing, men learn to do evil, said the heathen. And "thou wicked and slothful servant," saith our Saviour. He puts no difference between nequam et nequaquam, an idle and an evil person. The devil also will not long suffer such a one to be idle, but will soon set him to work. Idleness is the hour of temptation. A wicked man.] Or, An unprofitable man, vir nihili; good for nothing, but to eat, and drink, and sleep, and sport, and sit, and talk, and laugh, and be merry. These are nothing; nay, they are excrements in…

Read John Trapp on Proverbs 6 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(k). Eleventh Discourse:—Against Deceit and Malice (Proverbs 6:12-19). (12) A naughty person.—According to its original meaning, a “worthless” person, Heb. a man of Belial,Froward mouth.—Comp. Proverbs 4:24.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Proverbs 6 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 12. A naughty person] אדם בליעל adam beliyal, "Adam good for nothing." When he lost his innocence. A man apostata; Old MS. Bible. A wicked man] איש און ish aven. He soon became a general transgressor after having departed from his God. All his posterity, unless restored by Divine grace, are men of Belial, and sinners by trade; and most of them, in one form or other, answer the character here given. They yield their members instruments of unrighteousness unto sin.

Read AdamClarke on Proverbs 6 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Thirteenth Address. Chap. 6. Proverbs 6:12-19. The Worthless PersonThis short section might seem at first sight to break itself into two (Proverbs 6:12-19). But the note of character, “he soweth discord,” repeated in Proverbs 6:19 from Proverbs 6:14, helps to identify the worthless person as being the subject throughout, and a closer examination exhibits the connection. Would you recognise the worthless man? Here is his description, Proverbs 6:12-14. Would you understand his end? Here is his destiny, Proverbs 6:15. Would you know what God, the Judge of all, sees in him to hate and punish? Here are the six, yea seven things that undo him, Proverbs 6:16-19. The connection is well worked out…

Read Cambridge on Proverbs 6 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A naughty person - literally, “a man of Belial,” i. e., a worthless man (see the Deuteronomy 13:13 note). This is the portrait of the man who is not to be trusted, whose look and gestures warn against him all who can observe.

Read Albert Barnes on Proverbs 6 →

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

A worthless person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth,

WEBWorld English Bible2000

A worthless person, a man of iniquity, is he who walks with a perverse mouth,

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

A worthless person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth,

NETBNew English Translation2006

A worthless and wicked person walks around saying perverse things;

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

¶ A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

A worthless person, a man of iniquity, Is he that walketh with a perverse mouth;

RVARevised Version, American1894

A worthless person, a man of iniquity; he walketh with a froward mouth;

NWBWebster's Bible1833

A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

The vnthriftie man and the wicked man walketh with a froward mouth.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

A man of Belial, a wicked person, is he that goeth about with a perverse mouth;

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

A man of worthlessness, a man of iniquity, Walking [with] perverseness of mouth,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

A man of worthlessness, a man of iniquity, || Walking [with] perverseness of mouth,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

A Godless person is a man of injustice, who walketh with a distorted mouth.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

A worthless person—a wicked man— lives by the crookedness of his speech,

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

A man that is an apostate, an unprofitable man, walketh with a perverse mouth,

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Rebellious and wicked people go around telling lies,

BBEBible in Basic English1949

A good-for-nothing man is an evil-doer; he goes on his way causing trouble with false words;

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.

clausenoun phrase · subjectnoun phraseאָדָ֣םa.personבְּ֭לִיַּעַלof.worthlessnessnoun phraseאִ֣ישׁa.personאָ֑וֶןof.wickednessverbה֝וֹלֵ֗ךְ[is].walkingnoun phrase · adverbialעִקְּשׁ֥וּתcrookednessפֶּֽהof.mouth

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 on the wording of this verse, with five of the seven words matched. The Septuagint's word order differs, but the essential meaning remains consistent with the Hebrew text.

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

אָדָ֣ם בְּ֭לִיַּעַל אִ֣ישׁ אָ֑וֶן ה֝וֹלֵ֗ךְ עִקְּשׁ֥וּת פֶּֽה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
אָדָ֣םἀνὴρבְּ֭לִיַּעַלἄφρωνאִ֣ישׁκαὶאָ֑וֶןπαράνομοςה֝וֹלֵ֗ךְπορεύεται

5 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.

Proverbs 6:12אָדָםa person ofa person ofאָדָםבְּלִיַּ֫עַלworthlessneworthlessnessבְּלִיַּ֫עַלאִישׁa person ofa person ofאִישׁאָ֫וֶןwickednesswickednessאָ֫וֶןהָלַךְ[is] walkin[is] walkingהָלַךְעִקְּשׁוּתcrookednesscrookedness ofעִקְּשׁוּתפֶּהmouthmouthפֶּהאָדֹםto reddento reddenאָדֹםבְּלִיwithoutwithoutבְּלִיעִקֵּשׁtwistedtwistedעִקֵּשׁפָּאָהto cleaveto cleaveפָּאָהאֱנוֹשׁhumanhumanאֱנוֹשׁאִשָּׁהwomanwomanאִשָּׁהאַ֫יִןnothingnothingאַ֫יִןהָלַךְto walkto walkהָלַךְדְּמוּתlikenesslikenessדְּמוּתבְּהֵמָהanimalanimalבְּהֵמָהעוּדto upholdto upholdעוּדנֶ֫גֶדbeforebeforeנֶ֫גֶדרֵעַneighborneighborרֵעַפָּעַלto workto workפָּעַלעָמָלtroubletroubleעָמָלדֶּ֫רֶךְway: roadway: roadדֶּ֫רֶךְחֻקָּהstatutestatuteחֻקָּהאֹמֶרwordwordאֹמֶר
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 6:12

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.

a person of worthlessness a person of wickedness [is] walking crookedness of mouth
אָדָ֣ם'a.Dam a person of H120 Noun common · masculine singular construct
551× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Adam was the first human, created by God and mentioned in Genesis 2:19, who married Eve and had sons including Cain, Abel, and Seth.
Tyndale gloss
the man (Adam)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָדָם (adam) refers to 'man' or 'mankind,' encompassing both individual humans and the species as a whole. It is also the name of the first man in the Bible, Adam, who is mentioned in various verses, including Genesis 2:19. The term can denote a city in the Jordan valley as well. The entries indicate a range of meanings, but there is no significant disagreement among them.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָדָם 560 n.m. Gn 1:27 man, mankind

a man = human being

coll. man, mankind

n.pr.m. Adam, first man (without art.)

n.pr.loc. city in Jordan valley (as built?)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H120 אָדָם man, mankind . a man = human being

. coll. man, mankind

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

120 'adam aw-dawm'

from 119; ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the

species, mankind, etc.):--X another, + hypocrite, + common

sort, X low, man (mean, of low degree), person.

see HEBREW for 0119

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָדָם (a.dam) — man.

1) man, mankind

1a) man, human being

1b) man, mankind (much more frequently intended sense in OT)

1c) Adam, first man

1d) city in Jordan valley

אָדָם (a.dam) — the man (Adam).

The first named man living at the time before the Flood, first mentioned at Gen.2.19;

married to Eve (H2332);

father of: Cain (H7014B), Abel (H1893) and Seth (H8352); also translated "man" at Gen.2.19,21,23; 3.8,9,20; 5.2; "mankind" at Deu.32.8; "others" at Job.31.33;

Another spelling of a.dam (אָדָם "Adam" H0121)

man, human being

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
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…

a person of worthlessness a person of wickedness [is] walking crookedness of mouth
בְּ֭לִיַּעַלBe.li.ya.'al worthlessness H1100 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
27× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Belial refers to something or someone worthless or wicked, often translated as evil or ungodly. It describes people or actions that are good for nothing and lead to destruction.
Amplified meaning
good-for-nothing
Tyndale gloss
Belial: worthless
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בְּלִיַּ֫עַל (bliya`al) refers to worthlessness or wickedness, often associated with destruction. It is derived from roots meaning 'without profit' and can describe ungodly individuals. The term appears in contexts related to moral depravity and is linked to concepts of ruin. Some sources emphasize its use as a name, similar to 'Satan'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בְּלִיַּ֫עַל 27 n.[m.] worthlessness

abstr.

concr. elliptical

ruin, destruction

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1100 בְּלִיַּ֫עַל worthlessness

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1100 bliya`al bel-e-yah'-al

from 1097 and 3276; without profit, worthlessness; by

extension, destruction, wickedness (often in connection with

376, 802, 1121, etc.):--Belial, evil, naughty, ungodly (men),

wicked.

see HEBREW for 01097

see HEBREW for 03276

see HEBREW for 0376

see HEBREW for 0802

see HEBREW for 01121

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בְּלִיַּ֫עַל (be.liy.ya.al) — Belial.

A name like sa.tan (שָׂטָן "Satan" H7854)

This name means worthless, base, wicked

בְּלִיַּ֫עַל (be.liy.ya.al) — Belial: destruction.

: destruction

1) worthlessness

1a) worthless, good for nothing, unprofitable, base fellow

1b) wicked

1c) ruin, destruction (construct)

בְּלִיַּ֫עַל (be.liy.ya.al) — Belial: worthless.

: worthless

1) worthlessness

1a) worthless, good for nothing, unprofitable, base fellow

1b) wicked

1c) ruin, destruction (construct)

Also means: be.liy.ya.al (בְּלִיַּ֫עַל ": destruction" H1100H)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
a person of worthlessness a person of wickedness [is] walking crookedness of mouth
אִ֣ישׁ'ish a person of H376 Noun common · masculine singular construct
1,664× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for man, referring to a male person or individual, is used in the Bible to describe humans in contrast to God or animals, as seen in Genesis and Psalms. It can also mean husband or servant. In the KJV, it is translated as man or male.
Tyndale gloss
man
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אִישׁ (iysh) means 'man' and can refer to an individual male, a husband, or a human being in general. It encompasses various meanings, including champion and great man, and can also imply 'whosoever' or 'each.' The word is built from a root suggesting existence and is used throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אִישׁ 2166 n.m. man (= vir)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H376 אִישׁ man (= vir)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

376 'iysh eesh

contracted for 582 (or perhaps rather from an unused root

meaning to be extant); a man as an individual or a male

person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and

in such cases frequently not expressed in

translation):--also, another, any (man), a certain, +

champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-,

husband-)man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree),

him (that is), husband, man(-kind), + none, one, people,

person, + steward, what (man) soever, whoso(-ever), worthy.

Compare 802.

see HEBREW for 0582

see HEBREW for 0802

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אִישׁ (ish) — man.

: man

1) man

1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female)

1b) husband

1c) human being, person (in contrast to God)

1d) servant

1e) mankind

1f) champion

1g) great man

2) whosoever

3) each (adjective)

אִישׁ (ish) — man: husband.

: husband

1) man

1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female)

1b) husband

1c) human being, person (in contrast to God)

1d) servant

1e) mankind

1f) champion

1g) great man

2) whosoever

3) each (adjective)

אִישׁ (ish) — man: anyone.

: anyone/someone

1) man

1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female)

1b) husband

1c) human being, person (in contrast to God)

1d) servant

1e) mankind

1f) champion

1g) great man

2) whosoever

3) each (adjective)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
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…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
a person of worthlessness a person of wickedness [is] walking crookedness of mouth
אָ֑וֶן'A.ven wickedness H205 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
77× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to evil, wickedness, or trouble, often describing idolatry or iniquity, and is used in various KJV translations to convey a sense of wrongdoing.
Amplified meaning
evil, ungodly
Tyndale gloss
evil: wickedness
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָ֫וֶן (aven) encompasses meanings related to trouble, sorrow, and wickedness. It may also refer to idolatry and the concept of vanity or nothingness. The entries suggest a range of negative connotations, including affliction and iniquity, indicating a strong moral or ethical dimension. There are no significant disagreements among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָ֫וֶן 85 n.m. trouble, sorrow, wickedness

trouble, sorrow

idolatry

trouble of iniquity, wickedness

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H205 אָ֫וֶן trouble, sorrow, wickedness

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

205 'aven aw-ven'

from an unused root perhaps meaning properly, to pant (hence,

to exert oneself, usually in vain; to come to naught);

strictly nothingness; also trouble. vanity, wickedness;

specifically an idol:--affliction, evil, false, idol,

iniquity, mischief, mourners(-ing), naught, sorrow, unjust,

unrighteous, vain ,vanity, wicked(-ness). Compare 369.

see HEBREW for 0369

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָ֫וֶן (a.ven) — evil: wickedness.

1) trouble, wickedness, sorrow

1a) trouble, sorrow

1b) idolatry

1c) trouble of iniquity, wickedness

Also means: a.ven (אָ֫וֶן ": trouble" H0205H)

אָ֫וֶן (a.ven) — evil: trouble.

1) trouble, wickedness, sorrow

1a) trouble, sorrow

1b) idolatry

1c) trouble of iniquity, wickedness

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

wik'-ed-nes:

1. In the Old Testament:

The state of being wicked; a mental disregard for justice, righteousness, truth, honor, virtue; evil in thought and life; depravity; sinfulness; criminality. See SIN. Many words are rendered "wickedness." There are many synonyms for wickedness in English and also in the Hebrew. Pride and vanity lead to it: "All the proud, and all that work wickedness (rish`ah) shall be stubble" (Mal 4:1). Akin to this is the word `awen, "iniquity," "vanity": "She eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness" (Pr 30:20). Then we have the word hawwah, meaning "mischief," "calamity," coming from inward intent upon evil: "Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in…

a person of worthlessness a person of wickedness [is] walking crookedness of mouth
ה֝וֹלֵ֗ךְho.Lekh [is] walking 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
goes on his way, travels
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
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Nave's Topical Bible

→ With God

According to his commands De 5:33; Ps 1; Jer 7:23

In his ways De 28:9; Jos 22:5

In the old paths Jer 6:16

As taught by him 1Ki 8:36; Isa 2:3; 30:21

Uprightly Pr 2:7

In his statutes and judgments Eze 37:24

In newness of life Ro 6:4

a person of worthlessness a person of wickedness [is] walking crookedness of mouth
עִקְּשׁ֥וּת'i.ke.Shut crookedness of H6143 Noun common · feminine singular construct
2× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for crookedness or perversity, referring to a distortion or twisting of what is right. It is used to describe someone who is being dishonest or unfair. The KJV translates it as froward or perverseness.
Amplified meaning
froward, crooked
Tyndale gloss
crookedness
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עִקְּשׁוּת (iqqshuwth) refers to the concept of crookedness or perversity. It is derived from the root word for 'to be crooked' and is used to denote distortion or moral deviation. The entries consistently emphasize its negative connotation, but do not provide specific verse references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עִקְּשׁוּת n.f. crookedness

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6143 עִקְּשׁוּת

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6143 `iqqshuwth ik-kesh-ooth'

from 6141; perversity:--X froward.

see HEBREW for 06141

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עִקְּשׁוּת (iq.q.shut) — crookedness.

distortion, crookedness

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular construct
HNcfsc
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…

a person of worthlessness a person of wickedness [is] walking crookedness of mouth
פֶּֽה׃Peh mouth H6310 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
498× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word refers to the mouth, lips, or edge of something, and can also mean a portion or side of something. It is often used to describe speech or the act of speaking. This word appears in various forms, such as mouth, lip, or edge.
Amplified meaning
lips, speech
Tyndale gloss
lip
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word פֶּה (*peh*) means 'mouth' and encompasses various meanings, including the mouth of a person or animal, as well as openings or orifices. It can also refer to speech, edges, and portions. Additionally, it denotes a weight equal to one third of a shekel, found in 1 Samuel 13:21.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

פֶּה 485 n.m. mouth

mouth, of man, organ of eating and drinking

external organ

much oftener, as organ of speech, of man

as laughing; panting

of God

of idols

of musical instr. = sound

of animals; hence of edge of sword

mouth = opening, orifice

extremity, end

= portion

with preps.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6310 פֶּה mouth . . mouth, of man, organ of eating and drinking

. external organ

. . much oftener, as organ of speech, of man

. as laughing; panting

. of God

. of idols

. of musical instr. = sound

. of animals

. mouth = opening, orifice

. . extremity, end

. = portion

. with preps.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6310 peh peh

from 6284; the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether

literal or figurative (particularly speech); specifically

edge, portion or side; adverbially (with preposition)

according to:--accord(-ing as, -ing to), after, appointment,

assent, collar, command(-ment), X eat, edge, end, entry, +

file, hole, X in, mind, mouth, part, portion, X (should)

say(-ing), sentence, skirt, sound, speech, X spoken, talk,

tenor, X to, + two-edged, wish, word.

see HEBREW for 06284

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פֶּה (peh) — lip.

: lip/mouth

peh

1) mouth

1a) mouth (of man)

1b) mouth (as organ of speech)

1c) mouth (of animals)

1d) mouth, opening, orifice (of a well, river, etc)

1e) extremity, end pim

2) a weight equal to one third of a shekel, occurs only in 1Sa 13:21

פֶּה (peh) — lip: edge.

: edge

peh

1) mouth

1a) mouth (of man)

1b) mouth (as organ of speech)

1c) mouth (of animals)

1d) mouth, opening, orifice (of a well, river, etc)

1e) extremity, end pim

2) a weight equal to one third of a shekel, occurs only in 1Sa 13:21

פֶּה (peh) — lip: word.

: word/command

peh

1) mouth

1a) mouth (of man)

1b) mouth (as organ of speech)

1c) mouth (of animals)

1d) mouth, opening, orifice (of a well, river, etc)

1e) extremity, end pim

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

mowth (peh, chekh, garon (Ps 149:6); Aramaic pum, tera (Da 3:26); stoma, 71 times, once logos, i.e. "word of mouth," "speech" (Ac 15:27); once we find the verb epistomizo, "to silence," "to stop the mouth" (Tit 1:11)):

1. Literal Sense:

In addition to frequent references to man and animals, "Their food was yet in their mouths" (Ps 78:30); "And Yahweh opened the mouth of the ass" (Nu 22:28); "Save me from the lion's mouth" (Ps 22:21), etc., the term is often used in connection with inanimate things: mouth of a…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Is sometimes used in Scripture for speaker, Ex 4:16 Jer 15:19. God spoke with Moses "mouth to mouth," Numbers 12.8, that is, condescendingly and clearly. The law was to be "in the mouth" of the Hebrews, Ex 13:9, often rehearsed and talked of. "The rod of his mouth," Isa 11:4, and the sharp sword, Re 1:16, denote the power of Christ’s word to convict, control, and judge; compare Isa 49:2 Heb 4:12. The Hebrew word for mouth is often translated "command," Ge 45:21

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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