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Proverbs 6:24 — Word Study

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WLCלִ֭שְׁמָרְךָ מֵאֵ֣שֶׁת רָ֑ע מֵֽ֝חֶלְקַ֗ת לָשׁ֥וֹן נָכְרִיָּֽה׃

BSAto keep youshâmar [protect, guard] from the evilraʻ [bad, immoral] womanʼishshâh [strange, foreign] from the smoothchelqâh [flattering, seductive] tonguelâshôwn [language, speech] of the adulteressnokrîy [wayward wife, prostitute]

Word
Listen & take awayProverbs 6
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 24 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 (na.khe.ri.Yah) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Proverbs 6:24quick helps
In a sentenceThis verse warns against the dangers of an immoral woman and her seductive speech.
Who is speakingThe author of Proverbs, providing wisdom and guidance.
Where we areA section of Proverbs focused on moral instruction and the avoidance of temptation.
The hard wordרָ֑ע
Take awayThe instruction is clear: avoid the allure of the immoral woman.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause 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 6:24

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — Wisdom Against Temptationgenerated

23For this commandment is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way to life,
24to keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress.
25Do not lust in your heart for her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes.
26For the levy of the prostitute is poverty, and the adulteress preys upon your very life.

Proverbs 6:24 is part of a broader teaching that emphasizes the importance of moral vigilance. The verses surrounding this one warn against the allure of temptation, particularly from immoral women, and the dangers of being swayed by seductive words. This instruction is framed within the context of wisdom literature, which often contrasts the paths of righteousness and wickedness.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Proverbs 2:16It will rescue you from the forbidden woman, from the stranger with seductive words
2Proverbs 5:3Though the lips of the forbidden woman drip honey and her speech is smoother than oil,
3Proverbs 7:5that they may keep you from the adulteress, from the stranger with seductive words.
4Ecclesiastes 7:26And I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a net, and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is ensnared.

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


The Key Word שָׁמַר, Lish.ma.re.khagenerated

The Hebrew word שָׁמַר (*shamar*) is a verb that means to keep, guard, or observe. It is used here in the infinitive construct form, indicating an action intended to protect or maintain something. This word encompasses a wide range of meanings, including physical protection and moral vigilance, reflecting the necessity to guard oneself against temptation.

In this context, it emphasizes the proactive role one must take to avoid the pitfalls of immoral behavior. The use of the infinitive construct implies an ongoing action, suggesting that one must continually be on guard against such influences.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

In this study, the verse is read in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses the word evil for רָ֑ע. Other translations like the KJV and ASV also use evil, maintaining the moral weight of the term.

Where translations differ is in the rendering of נָכְרִיָּֽה. The WEB translates it as wayward wife, while the FBV opts for prostitute, highlighting different aspects of the same concept.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The sentence structure is governed by the main verb שְׁמָרְ, to keep, which leads into two prepositional phrases: one detailing the source of danger, and the other describing the nature of the danger itself. The order emphasizes the action of keeping as the primary focus.

The phrase מֵאֵ֣שֶׁת רָ֑ע ('from the evil woman') is a construct chain that highlights the relationship between the preposition and the noun, indicating a direct source of temptation.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates שָׁמַר as σε (you), indicating a direct address to the reader about the need for vigilance. This choice emphasizes the personal nature of the warning.

The Greek word for אִשָּׁה is γυναικὸς, which similarly conveys the concept of a woman but does not carry the same connotations of strangeness or foreignness as the Hebrew.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Proverbs 6:24 warns to stay away from the immoral woman and her seductive speech. The verse emphasizes the need for protection against such temptations, highlighting the importance of moral vigilance.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What is the significance of keeping away from the evil woman?

The evil woman represents temptation and moral failure, and the verse stresses the importance of guarding oneself against such influences.

How does the smooth tongue of the adulteress affect a person?

The smooth tongue symbolizes flattery and deceit, which can lead one astray and into immoral choices.

What does it mean to guard oneself?

To guard oneself means to be vigilant and proactive in avoiding situations or influences that could lead to moral compromise.

Why is this warning repeated in Proverbs?

The repetition serves to emphasize the seriousness of the temptation and the need for constant awareness and moral integrity.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways can I be vigilant against temptations in my life?
  2. How can I recognize and avoid smooth talk that may lead me astray?
  3. What practical steps can I take to guard my heart and mind against immoral influences?
  4. How does this verse apply to my relationships and interactions with others?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Proverbs 6:24 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

To keep thee from the evil woman,.... This is one use of the profit arising from attending to the instructions of parents, and to the law of God, as taught by them; to preserve from fornication and

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

To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.

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

This is mentioned as a great commendation of God’ s word, because neither worldly discretion, nor civil education, nor moral precepts, nor any other considerations, are sufficient preservatives against this lust, as is manifest from daily experience.

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

Proverbs 6:24 To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.Ver. 24. To keep thee from the evil woman.] Heb., From the woman of evil, that is wholly given up to wickedness, - as Aaron saith of the people, and as Plautus, In fermenlo tota iacet uxor. In this sense Antichrist is called "the man of sin." From the flattery of the tongue.] This is the proper effect of God’ s word, hid in the heart, as an amulet. Bellerophon and other heathens, without this preservative, abstained from adultery, either for love of praise, or fear of punishment, or opinion of merit. But this was not properly chastity, but continence, which kept them from the outward act, sed…

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

Verse 24. To keep thee from the evil woman] Solomon had suffered sorely from this quarter; and hence his repeated cautions and warnings to others. The strange woman always means one that is not a man's own; and sometimes it may also imply a foreign harlot, one who is also a stranger to the God of Israel.

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

24. the tongue of a strange woman] the stranger’s tongue, R.V., i.e. the tongue of another man’s wife, as what follows shews (Proverbs 6:22; Proverbs 6:29; Proverbs 6:32; Proverbs 6:34-35). See Proverbs 2:16, note.

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

Evil woman - literally, “woman of evil.” In reading what follows, it must be remembered that the warning is against the danger of the sin of the adulterous wife.

Read Albert Barnes on Proverbs 6 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

24. To keep thee — A special application of the above. One object of pious parental care and training is to preserve from base, sensual gratification.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon 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

to keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

to keep you from the immoral woman, from the flattery of the wayward wife’s tongue.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

to keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress.

NETBNew English Translation2006

by keeping you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the loose woman.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

To keep thee from the evil woman, From the flattery of the foreigner’s tongue.

RVARevised Version, American1894

To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the stranger’s tongue.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

To keepe thee from the wicked woman, and from ye flatterie of ye tongue of a strange woman.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

to keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

To preserve thee from an evil woman, From the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

To preserve you from an evil woman, || From the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

To guard thee against a bad woman, from the flattery of an alien tongue.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

It keeps you from the immoral woman, from the smooth words of an immoral woman.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

That they may keep thee from the evil woman, and from the flattering tongue of the stranger.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

It will protect you from an evil woman and the seductive words of a prostitute.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

They will keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the strange woman.

Word by word, the decisions they made

רָ֑עRa' evil H7451 3 different renderings
evilASV BBE BSB DBY DRA FBV KJV LSV MSB NETB NWB RVA YLT
immoralULB WEB
badILT
נָכְרִיָּֽה׃na.khe.ri.Yah a foreign [woman] H5237 2 different renderings
wayward wifeWEB
prostituteFBV

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

clauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalלִ֭toclauseverbשְׁמָרְkeepobjectךָyouprepositional phrase · prepositionalמֵfromnoun phraseאֵ֣שֶׁתa.womanרָ֑עof.evilprepositional phrase · prepositionalמֵֽ֝fromnoun phraseחֶלְקַ֗תsmoothnessnoun phraseלָשׁ֥וֹןof.tongueנָכְרִיָּֽהa.foreign.[woman]

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 6:24 reads, 'לִ֭שְׁמָרְךָ מֵאֵ֣שֶׁת רָ֑ע מֵֽ֝חֶלְקַ֗ת לָשׁ֥וֹן נָכְרִיָּֽה׃', which translates to 'to keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress.' The Septuagint agrees with the Masoretic Text in meaning, as all six words correspond directly, although the word order and articles differ due to the nature of the Greek language. There are no significant differences noted in the Samaritan Pentateuch or the Dead Sea Scrolls for this verse, indicating a strong consistency across these ancient witnesses.

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

לִ֭שְׁמָרְךָ מֵאֵ֣שֶׁת רָ֑ע מֵֽ֝חֶלְקַ֗ת לָשׁ֥וֹן נָכְרִיָּֽה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
לִ֭שְׁמָרְךָσεמֵאֵ֣שֶׁתγυναικὸςרָ֑עὑπάνδρουמֵֽ֝חֶלְקַ֗תἀπὸלָשׁ֥וֹןγλώσσηςנָכְרִיָּֽה׃ἀλλοτρίας

6 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Proverbs 6:24שָׁמַרto keep youto keep youשָׁמַראִשָּׁהfrom a womafrom a woman ofאִשָּׁהרַעevilevilרַעחֶלְקָהfrom smoothfrom smoothnessחֶלְקָהלָשׁוֹןtonguetongueלָשׁוֹןנָכְרִיa foreign [a foreign [womaנָכְרִירָעַעbe evilbe evilרָעַעלָשַׁןto slanderto slanderלָשַׁןנֶ֫כֶרmisfortunemisfortuneנֶ֫כֶראִישׁmanmanאִישׁאֱנוֹשׁhumanhumanאֱנוֹשׁחֵ֫לֶקportionportionחֵ֫לֶקמִשְׁמֶ֫רֶתchargechargeמִשְׁמֶ֫רֶתמִצְוָהcommandmencommandmentמִצְוָהטַףchildchildטַףנָכְרִיforeignforeignנָכְרִימַעֲלָלdeeddeedמַעֲלָלנחםto be sorrto be sorry: coנחםמָטַרto rainto rainמָטַרחֵךְpalatepalateחֵךְהָגָהto mutterto mutterהָגָהזוּרbe a stranbe a strangerזוּרמָכַרto sellto sellמָכַר
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 6:24

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.

to keep you from a woman of evil from smoothness of tongue a foreign [woman]
לִ֭שְׁמָרְךָLish.ma.re.kha to keep you H8104 Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common · suffix
469× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To keep or obey means to protect, attend to, or guard something, like keeping a promise or watching over someone, as seen in the commands to observe the Sabbath.
Amplified meaning
protect, guard
Tyndale gloss
to keep: obey
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שָׁמַר (*shamar*) is a primitive root meaning to keep, guard, or observe. It encompasses a wide range of actions including protecting, waiting for, and celebrating obligations like the Sabbath. The verb appears in various forms, indicating nuances such as being on guard or refraining from certain actions. It is used extensively in the Old Testament, reflecting both physical and moral vigilance.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁמַר 465 vb. keep, watch, preserve

Qal 425

keep, have charge of

keep, guard, captives

hence, watch for, wait for

watch, observe

keep, retain, of storing up (food)

keep within bounds, restrain

observe, celebrate

keep sabbath

of other obligations

observe = follow dictates of (prudence, justice, kindness, wisdom)

sts. י׳ subj.

keep, reserve, weeks of harvest

Niph.

36be on one's guard

keep oneself, refrain, abstain

be kept, guarded

Pi. those paying regard to false vanities

Hithp. I kept myself from

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8104 שָׁמַר keep, watch, preserve .. . keep, have charge of

. keep, guard, captives

. hence, watch for, wait for

. watch, observe

. . keep, retain, of storing up (food)

. keep within bounds, restrain

. . observe, celebrate

. keep sabbath

. of other obligations

. observe = follow dictates of (prudence, justice, kindness, wisdom)

. sts. י׳ subj.

. keep, reserve, weeks of harvest

. . be on one's guard

. keep oneself, refrain, abstain

. be kept, guarded

. those paying regard to false vanities

. I kept myself from

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8104 shamar shaw-mar'

a primitive root; properly, to hedge about (as with thorns),

i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc.:--beward,

be circumspect, take heed (to self), keep(-er, self), mark,

look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, save

(self), sure, (that lay) wait (for), watch(-man).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁמַר (sha.mar) — to keep: obey.

: obey/observe

1) to keep, guard, observe, give heed

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to keep, have charge of

1a2) to keep, guard, keep watch and ward, protect, save life

1a2a) watch, watchman (participle)

1a3) to watch for, wait for

1a4) to watch, observe

1a5) to keep, retain, treasure up (in memory)

1a6) to keep (within bounds), restrain

1a7) to observe, celebrate, keep (sabbath or covenant or commands), perform (vow)

1a8) to keep, preserve, protect

1a9) to keep, reserve

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be on one's guard, take heed, take care, beware

1b2) to keep oneself, refrain, abstain

1b3) to be kept, be guarded

1c) (Piel) to keep, pay heed

1d) (Hithpael) to keep oneself from

שָׁמַר (sha.mar) — to keep: guard.

: guard

1) to keep, guard, observe, give heed

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to keep, have charge of

1a2) to keep, guard, keep watch and ward, protect, save life

1a2a) watch, watchman (participle)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a | Suff — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common · suffix
HR/Vqcc/Sp2ms
to keep you from a woman of evil from smoothness of tongue a foreign [woman]
מֵאֵ֣שֶׁתme.'E.shet from a woman of H802 Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct
781× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for woman, used to describe a female person, wife, or animal, appears in many biblical passages, including Genesis and Exodus, and is often translated as woman, wife, or female.
Amplified meaning
strange, foreign
Tyndale gloss
woman
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אִשָּׁה (ishshah) means 'woman,' 'wife,' or 'female.' It can refer to a woman in general, a wife in relation to a man, or the female of animals. The term also has distributive and reciprocal uses, indicating 'each woman' from her neighbor. The word is derived from the masculine forms אִישׁ (ish) and אִישָׁה (ishah), indicating a broad range of meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אִשָּׁה 773 n.f. woman, wife, female

woman

Wife (woman belonging to a man, usually cstr. or sf.)

Female of animals

With distrib. & recipr. sense, each woman from her neighbor; each one

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H802 אִשָּׁה woman, wife, female . woman

. Wife (woman belonging to a man, usually cstr. or sf.)

. Female of animals

. With distrib. & recipr. sense, each woman from her neighbor; each one

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

802 'ishshah ish-shaw'

feminine of 376 or 582; irregular plural, nashiym

{naw-sheem'}; a woman (used in the same wide sense as

582):--(adulter)ess, each, every, female, X many, + none,

one, + together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English.

see HEBREW for 0376

see HEBREW for 0582

see HEBREW for 0582

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אִשָּׁה (ish.shah) — woman.

: woman

1) woman, wife, female

1a) woman (opposite of man)

1b) wife (woman married to a man)

1c) female (of animals)

1d) each, every (pronoun)

אִשָּׁה (ish.shah) — woman: wife.

: wife/widow

1) woman, wife, female

1a) woman (opposite of man)

1b) wife (woman married to a man)

1c) female (of animals)

1d) each, every (pronoun)

אִשָּׁה (ish.shah) — woman: another.

: another

1) woman, wife, female

1a) woman (opposite of man)

1b) wife (woman married to a man)

1c) female (of animals)

1d) each, every (pronoun)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-fs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct
HR/Ncfsc
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…

to keep you from a woman of evil from smoothness of tongue a foreign [woman]
רָ֑עRa' evil H7451 Adj
662× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Ra means bad or evil, referring to moral or natural harm. It describes adversity, affliction, or distress, and is often used to convey a sense of misery or injury.
Amplified meaning
bad, immoral
Tyndale gloss
bad: harmful
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רַע (ra) is a Hebrew word meaning bad or evil, encompassing a range of negative qualities such as distress, misery, and ethical wrongdoing. It can describe unpleasantness, harm, or low value, and is used in various contexts, including emotional states and moral judgments. The entries also note its comparative form, indicating worse than or worst. The word has feminine forms, such as רָעָה (ra.ah), which similarly convey concepts of evil and distress.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רַע 228 adj. bad, evil

bad, disagreeable, malignant

bad, unpleasant, giving pain, unhappiness, misery

evil, displeasing

bad of its kind

bad, , i.e. of low value

מִן comp., worse than

sad, unhappy

devise evil (hurtful) device

bad, unkind, vicious in disposition or temper

ethically bad, evil, wicked

base

רַע 126 n.m. evil, distress, misery, injury, calamity

evil, distress, adversity

evil, injury, wrong

ethical evil

base

רָעָה 310 n.f. evil, misery, distress, injury

evil, misery, distress

evil, injury, wrong

ethical evil

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7451a רַע bad, evil . bad, disagreeable, malignant

. bad, unpleasant, giving pain, unhappiness, misery

. evil, displeasing

. bad of its kind

. bad, , i.e. of low value

. + מִן comp., worse than

. sad, unhappy

. devise evil (hurtful) device

. bad, unkind, vicious in disposition or temper

. ethically bad, evil, wicked

H7451b רַע evil, distress, misery, injury, calamity . evil, distress, adversity

. evil, injury, wrong

. ethical evil

H7451c רָעָה evil, misery, distress, injury . evil, misery, distress

. evil, injury, wrong

. ethical evil

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7451 ra` rah

from 7489; bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral):--

adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, + displease(-ure),

distress, evil((- favouredness), man, thing), + exceedingly, X

great, grief(-vous), harm, heavy, hurt(-ful), ill (favoured),

+ mark, mischief(-vous), misery, naught(-ty), noisome, + not

please, sad(-ly), sore, sorrow, trouble, vex,

wicked(-ly, -ness, one), worse(-st), wretchedness, wrong.

(Incl. feminine raaah; as adjective or noun.).

see HEBREW for 07489

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רַע (ra) — bad: harmful.

: harmful

adj

1) bad, evil

1a) bad, disagreeable, malignant

1b) bad, unpleasant, evil (giving pain, unhappiness, misery)

1c) evil, displeasing

1d) bad (of its kind-land, water, etc)

1e) bad (of value)

1f) worse than, worst (comparison)

1g) sad, unhappy

1h) evil (hurtful)

1i) bad, unkind (vicious in disposition)

1j) bad, evil, wicked (ethically)

1j1) in general, of persons, of thoughts

1j2) deeds, actions

רַע (ra) — bad: evil.

1) evil, distress, misery, injury, calamity

1a) evil, distress, adversity

1b) evil, injury, wrong

1c) evil (ethical)

רָעָה (ra.ah) — distress: harm.

: harm

1) evil, misery, distress, injury

1a) evil, misery, distress

1b) evil, injury, wrong

1c) evil (ethical)

רַע (ra) — bad: evil.

: evil

adj

1) bad, evil

1a) bad, disagreeable, malignant

1b) bad, unpleasant, evil (giving pain, unhappiness, misery)

1c) evil, displeasing

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

ev'-'-l, e'-vil ra`; poneros, @kakos, @kakon:

In the Bible it is represented as moral and physical. We choose to discuss the subject under these heads. Many of the evils that come upon men have not been intended by those who suffer for them. Disease, individual and national calamity, drought, scarcity of food, may not always be charged to the account of intentional wrong. Many times the innocent suffer with, and even for, the guilty. In such cases, only physical evil is apparent. Even when the suffering has been occasioned by sin or dereliction of duty, whether the wrong is active or passive, many, perhaps the majority of those who are injured, are not accountable in any way for the ills which come upon them. Neither is God the author of moral evil. "God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempteth no man" (Jas 1:13).

Nave's Topical Bible

→ APPEARANCE OF, TO BE AVOIDED Ro 14:1-23; 1Co 8:7-13; 10:28-33; 1Th 4:11,12; 5:22

→ INSTANCES OF

Paul, in refusing to eat what had been offered to idols 1Co 8:13

In supporting himself 1Co 9:7-23

to keep you from a woman of evil from smoothness of tongue a foreign [woman]
מֵֽ֝חֶלְקַ֗תme.chel.Kat from smoothness of H2513 Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct
29× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to smoothness, but can also imply flattery or slippery behavior. In some cases, it describes a plot of land or a portion of ground. The Bible uses this word to warn against smooth talk and deceitful actions.
Amplified meaning
flattering, seductive
Tyndale gloss
portion
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חֶלְקָה (chelqah) primarily means a portion or parcel of ground, but it also refers to smoothness and can imply flattery. The word is built from the concept of smoothness, which can extend to slippery places. It encompasses both literal and figurative meanings, highlighting its versatility in describing land and characteristics like flattery.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חֶלְקָה n.f. portion of ground

base

[חֶלְקָה] n.f. smooth part, smoothness, flattery

smoothness, smooth part

pl. slippery places

smoothness = flattery

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2513a חֶלְקָה portion of ground H2513b חֶלְקָה smooth part, smoothness, flattery

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2513 chelqah khel-kaw'

feminine of 2506; properly, smoothness; figuratively,

flattery; also an allotment:--field, flattering(-ry), ground,

parcel, part, piece of land (ground), plat, portion, slippery

place, smooth (thing).

see HEBREW for 02506

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חֶלְקָה (chel.qah) — portion.

1) portion, parcel

1a) of ground

חֶלְקָה (chel.qah) — smoothness.

1) smooth part, smoothness, flattery

1a) smoothness, smooth part

1b) slippery places

1c) smoothness, flattery

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-fs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct
HR/Ncfsc
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…

to keep you from a woman of evil from smoothness of tongue a foreign [woman]
לָשׁ֥וֹןla.Shon tongue H3956 Noun common · both singular absolute
117× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The tongue, used for eating, speaking, or describing a language. In the Bible, it appears in many books, including Genesis 11:1 and Acts 2:4.
Amplified meaning
language, speech
Tyndale gloss
tongue
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word לָשׁוֹן (*lashon*) primarily means 'tongue,' referring to both the organ of speech in humans and animals. It can also denote 'language' and has figurative uses, such as a 'tongue-shaped' wedge or bay. The entries highlight its literal and metaphorical applications, but do not present any significant disagreements among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לָשׁוֹן n.m. and (more oft.) f. tongue

tongue of men

= language

tongue of animals

tongue of fire

= (tongue-shaped) wedge of gold

= (tongue-shaped) bay of sea

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3956 לָשׁוֹן tongue . tongue of men

. = language

. tongue of animals

. tongue of fire

. = (tongue-shaped) wedge of gold

. = (tongue-shaped) bay of sea

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3956 lashown law-shone'

or lashon {law-shone'}; also (in plural) feminine lshonah

{lesh-o-naw'}; from 3960; the tongue (of man or animals), used

literally (as the instrument of licking, eating, or speech),

and figuratively (speech, an ingot, a fork of flame, a cove of

water):--+ babbler,bay, + evil speaker, language, talker,

tongue, wedge.

see HEBREW for 03960

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לָשׁוֹן (la.shon) — tongue.

: tongue/words

1) tongue

1a) tongue (of men)

1a1) tongue (literal)

1a2) tongue (organ of speech)

1b) language

1c) tongue (of animals)

1d) tongue (of fire)

1e) wedge, bay of sea (tongue-shaped)

לָשׁוֹן (la.shon) — tongue: language.

: language

1) tongue

1a) tongue (of men)

1a1) tongue (literal)

1a2) tongue (organ of speech)

1b) language

1c) tongue (of animals)

1d) tongue (of fire)

1e) wedge, bay of sea (tongue-shaped)

לָשׁוֹן (la.shon) — tongue: bar.

: bar/projection/bay

1) tongue

1a) tongue (of men)

1a1) tongue (literal)

1a2) tongue (organ of speech)

1b) language

1c) tongue (of animals)

1d) tongue (of fire)

1e) wedge, bay of sea (tongue-shaped)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cs — Noun common · both singular absolute
HNcbsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

tung: Almost invariably for either lashon, or glossa the latter word with the cognates heteroglossos, "of strange tongues" (1Co 14:21), glossodes, "talkative," English Versions of the Bible "full of tongue" (Sirach 8:3; 9:18), glossotomeo, "to cut out the tongue" (2 Macc 7:4), diglossos, "double-tongued" (Sirach 5:9; 28:13). In 1Ti 3:8, however, "double-tongued" is for dilogos, literally, "two-worded." Where "tongue" in the King James Version translates dialektos (Ac 1:19; 2:8; 21:40; 22:2; 26:14), the Revised Version (British and American) has "language," while for the King James Version "in the Hebrew tongue" in Joh 5:2; Re…

→ Language Ge 10:5,20; Isa 66:18; Re 7:9

→ Confusion of Ge 11:1-9

→ Gift of Ac 2:1-18,33; 10:46; 19:6; 1Co 12:10,28,30; 14

→ Loquacious Pr 10:8,19

→ Restrained by wisdom Pr 17:27; 21:23; Ec 3:7

→ Hasty Pr 29:20

→ An evil

See SPEAKING, EVIL

→ See SLANDER

to keep you from a woman of evil from smoothness of tongue a foreign [woman]
נָכְרִיָּֽה׃na.khe.ri.Yah a foreign [woman] H5237 Adj
45× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word describes something or someone foreign or unfamiliar, including people, women, or things. It can also mean wonderful or outlandish. In the Bible, it is often translated as alien or foreigner.
Amplified meaning
wayward wife, prostitute
Tyndale gloss
foreign
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָכְרִי (nokriy) means foreign or alien, covering a range of meanings from a foreign person to something unfamiliar or strange. It can also refer specifically to a foreign woman or harlot. The word is built from a root that suggests strangeness in various contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָכְרִי adj. foreign, alien

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5237 נָכְרִי foreign, alien

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5237 nokriy nok-ree'

from 5235 (second form); strange, in a variety of degrees and

applications (foreign, non-relative, adulterous, different,

wonderful):--alien, foreigner, outlandish, strange(-r,

woman).

see HEBREW for 05235

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נׇכְרִי (nokh.ri) — foreign.

1) foreign, alien

1a) foreign

1b) foreigner (subst)

1c) foreign woman, harlot

1d) unknown, unfamiliar (fig.)

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

woom'-an ('ishshah, "a woman" (feminine of 'ish, "a man"]; gune, "a woman" "wife"):

I. IN THE CREATIVE PLAN

II. IN OLD TESTAMENT TIMES

1. Prominence of Women

2. Social Equality

3. Marriage Laws

4. Inheritance

5. Domestic Duties

6. Dress and Ornaments

7. Religious Devotion and Service

(1) in Idolatry and False Religion

(2) in Spiritual Religion

III. INTER-TESTAMENTAL ERA

IV. IN NEW TESTAMENT TIMES

1. Mary and Elisabeth

2. Jesus and Women

3. In the Early Church

4. Official Service

5. Widows

6. Deaconesses

IV. LATER TIMES

1. Changes in Character and Condition

2. Notable Examples of Christian Womanhood

3. Woman in the 20th Century

The generic term "man" includes woman. In the narrative of the creation (Ge 1:26,27) Adam is a collective term for mankind. It may signify human being, male or female, or humanity entire. "God said, Let us make man .... and let them"…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Woman

Was “taken out of man” (Gen. 2:23), and therefore the man has the preeminence. “The head of the woman is the man;” but yet honour is to be shown to the wife, “as unto the weaker vessel” (1 Cor. 11:3, 8, 9; 1 Pet. 3:7). Several women are mentioned in Scripture as having been endowed with prophetic gifts, as Miriam (Ex. 15:20), Deborah (Judg. 4:4, 5), Huldah (2 Kings 22:14), Noadiah (Neh. 6:14), Anna (Luke 2:36, 37), and the daughters of Philip the evangelist…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Is spoken of in Scripture as the beloved and honored companion and helpmeet, not the servant, of man, Ge 2:23,24, created as the necessary completion of man, Ge 3:16 1Co 11:3,8,9 14:34,35 1Ti 2:11-14, yet specially qualified for that sphere, and as necessary in it as man in his. Man and woman are indeed essentially one, the natural qualities of each so responding to those of the other as to lay the foundation of the most tender and abiding unity. The Bible thus raised the Jewish woman high above the woman of heathenism; and the Old Testament contains some of the finest portraitures of female character. But still greater is the contrast between the women of heathenism and…

Torrey's New Topical Textbook

- Origin and cause of the name

Ge 2:23

- ORIGINALLY MADE

. By God in his own image

Ge 1:27

. From one of Adam's ribs

Ge 2:21,22

. For man

1Co 11:9

. To be an helpmeet for man

Ge 2:18,20

. Subordinate to man

1Co 11:3

. To be the glory of man

1Co 11:7

- Deceived by Satan

Ge 3:1-6; 2Co 11:3; 1Ti 2:14

- Led man to disobey God

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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