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Psalms 119:118 — Word Study

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WLCסָ֭לִיתָ כָּל־ שׁוֹגִ֣ים מֵחֻקֶּ֑יךָ כִּי־ שֶׁ֝֗קֶר תַּרְמִיתָֽם׃

BSAYou rejectçâlâh [set at nought, trodden down] allkôl who strayshâgâh [err, wander] from Your statuteschôq [decrees, laws] forkîy their deceitfulnesstormâh [deceit, falsehood] is in vainsheqer [useless, without profit]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 119
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 118 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 (tar.mi.Tam) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 119:118quick helps
In a sentenceGod rejects those who wander from His laws because their deceit is ultimately worthless.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, addressing God.
Where we areThis verse is part of a meditation on the importance of God's statutes.
The hard wordסָלִיתָ
Take awayGod's judgment is clear and decisive against those who stray.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbסָלָה 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 — Psalms 119:118

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 — Meditation on God's Statutesgenerated

117Uphold me, and I will be saved, that I may always regard Your statutes.
118You reject all who stray from Your statutes, for their deceitfulness is in vain.
119All the wicked on earth You discard like dross; therefore I love Your testimonies.
120My flesh trembles in awe of You; I stand in fear of Your judgments.

Psalm 119:118 expresses the psalmist's understanding of God's response to those who stray from His laws. The surrounding verses emphasize the importance of adhering to God's decrees and the consequences of failing to do so. This passage reflects a broader theme in the psalm, which is the value of God's statutes and the psalmist's commitment to them.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Isaiah 25:10For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain. But Moab will be trampled in his place as straw is trodden into the dung pile.
2Isaiah 63:3“I have trodden the winepress alone, and no one from the nations was with Me. I trampled them in My anger and trod them down in My fury; their blood spattered My garments, and all My clothes were stained.
3Malachi 4:3Then you will trample the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day I am preparing,” says the LORD of Hosts.
4Luke 21:24They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive into all the nations. And Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
5Revelation 14:20And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and the blood that flowed from it rose as high as the bridles of the horses for a distance of 1,600 stadia.

The Key Word סָלִיתָ, Sa.li.tagenerated

The verb סָלָה (salá) means to reject or weigh something as worthless. It suggests a strong judgment where something is deemed of no value, often used in contexts where God evaluates human behavior.

In this verse, it indicates that God actively dismisses those who stray from His statutes, treating their actions with contempt. The perfect tense indicates a completed action, emphasizing the finality of God's judgment.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses reject.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb סָלִיתָ governs the entire verse, indicating God's action. The structure includes a noun phrase as the object, followed by a participial phrase describing those who stray, and a clause explaining the reason for God's rejection.

The order emphasizes God's decisive action first, followed by the subject and reason, highlighting the seriousness of straying from His laws.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates סָלִיתָ as ἐχουδένωσας, which conveys a sense of complete rejection or making something worthless. This choice reflects a strong interpretation of God's judgment against those who stray.

This translation aligns with the Hebrew meaning but may carry a slightly different nuance in the Greek context, emphasizing the finality of God's rejection.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 119:118 states that God rejects all who stray from His laws because their deceit is worthless. This verse highlights the importance of following God's statutes and the consequences of failing to do so.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that God rejects those who stray?

It means that God does not accept or value the actions of those who wander away from His laws.

How does this verse relate to the concept of deceit?

The verse suggests that deceitfulness is ultimately futile and does not hold any value in God's eyes.

Why is it important to adhere to God's statutes?

Adhering to God's statutes is crucial for living a life that aligns with His will and avoiding judgment.

What can we learn from this verse about God's character?

This verse reveals God's commitment to justice and the seriousness with which He views disobedience to His laws.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways have I strayed from God's statutes, and how can I return?
  2. What does it mean for me to uphold God's laws in my daily life?
  3. How can I recognize and avoid deceitfulness in my actions?
  4. What steps can I take to deepen my understanding of God's decrees?

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

Early Church Fathers reference this verse to discuss God's judgment and the importance of adhering to His laws. Their quotations emphasize the consequences of straying from righteousness.

Ambrose of MilanOn the Holy Spirit 1.9.108 c. 339–397
O the divine mystery of that cross, on which weakness hangs, might is free, vices are nailed and triumphal trophies raised.
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 119 →
John ChrysostomHOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF John 54 c. 347–407
In our affairs, beloved, we have great need of perseverance. And perseverance is the fruit when [Christ’s] teachings become deeply rooted in us.
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 119 →
Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 119 354–430
"You have scorned all," or, as it seems more closely translated from the Greek, "You have brought to nought all them that depart from Your righteousnesses: for their thought is unrighteous" [Early Church Fathers on Psalms 119 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 119:118 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Thou hast trodden down all them that err from thy statutes,.... That wander from the way of the Lord's commandments; that deviate from his precepts, go astray constantly and wilfully; a people that

Read John Gill on Psalms 119 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Thou hast trodden down all them that err from thy statutes: for their deceit is falsehood.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 119 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Ver. 118. All their crafty and deceitful devices, by which they design to insnare and ruin me, and other good men, shall deceive them and their own expectations, and bring that destruction upon themselves which they design for others.

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 119 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 119:118 Thou hast trodden down all them that err from thy statutes: for their deceit [is] falsehood.Ver. 118. Thou hast trodden down all them, &c.] Thou, as a mighty king or conqueror, hast made use of them for a footstool, as Sapores, king of Persia, did Valentinian the Roman emperor, and as Tamerlane did Bajazet. For their deceit is falsehood] They think themselves to be out of the reach of thy rod, but they will find it somewhat otherwise.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 119 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(118) Trodden down.—Better, thou despisest. So LXX. and Vulg. Aquila, “Thou hast impaled.” Symmachus, “Thou hast convicted.” Literally the word seems to mean to weigh or value, but, from the habit of the buyer beating down the price by depreciating, comes to have a sense of this kind. Mr. Burgess aptly quotes Proverbs 20:14. We may compare the English word cheapen, which originally only meant to buy. For their deceit is falsehood.—Rather, as the parallelism indicates, for their tricks are in vain; or perhaps, to bring out the full intention of the Hebrew, we must paraphrase: “for their wiles are as fruitless as they are deceitful.” So Symmachus: “all their craft is vain.”

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 119 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 118. Thou hast trodden down] All thy enemies will be finally trodden down under thy feet. Their deceit is falsehood.] Their elevation is a lie. The wicked often become rich and great, and affect to be happy, but it is all false; they have neither a clean nor approving conscience. Nor can they have thy approbation; and, consequently, no true blessedness.

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 119 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

118. Thou hast trodden down] Rather, hast set at nought (R.V.), or hast rejected. for their deceit is falsehood] Not, their crafty schemes are vain (R.V. marg.), doomed to be frustrated: but, the principles with which they deceive themselves and mislead others are false and baseless; therefore God rejects them. P.B.V. for they imagine but deceit is derived through the Vulg. (quia iniusta cogitatio eorum) from the LXX, which with Jer., Theod. and Syr. seems to have read tar‘îthâm, ‘their thought,’ for tarmîthâm, ‘their deceit.’ It is an Aramaic word, but the occurrence of an Aramaic word in so late a Psalm would not be impossible, and it may be the right reading.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 119 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Thou hast trodden down all them that err from thy statutes - Compare the notes at Psalms 119:21. Rather, “Thou hast made light of,” or “thou despisest.” The Hebrew word means properly to suspend in a balance; to weigh.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 119 →

The verse in English, compared — 16 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

You reject all who stray from Your statutes, for their deceitfulness is in vain.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

You reject all those who stray from your statutes, for their deceit is in vain.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

You reject all who stray from Your statutes, for their deceitfulness is in vain.

NETBNew English Translation2006

You despise all who stray from your statutes, for they are deceptive and unreliable.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Thou hast trodden down all them that err from thy statutes: for their deceit is falsehood.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Thou hast set at nought all them that err from thy statutes; For their deceit is falsehood.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Thou hast set at nought all them that err from thy statutes; for their deceit is falsehood.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Thou hast trodden down all them that err from thy statutes: for their deceit is falsehood.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Thou hast troden downe all them that depart from thy statutes: for their deceit is vaine.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Thou hast set at nought all them that wander from thy statutes; for their deceit is falsehood.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Thou hast trodden down All going astray from Thy statutes, For falsehood [is] their deceit.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

You have trodden down || All going astray from Your statutes, || For their deceit [is] falsehood.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Thou hast trodden down all that erringly stray from thy statutes; for falsehood is their deceit.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

You reject all those who stray from your statutes, for those people are deceptive and unreliable.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

You reject all those who don't follow your instructions—they're fooling themselves by living a lie.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

You have overcome all those who are wandering from your rules; for all their thoughts are false.

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.

clauseverbסָ֭לִיתָyou.rejectnoun phrase · objectכָּלallnoun phraseclauseverbשׁוֹגִ֣ים[those.who].go.astrayprepositional phrase · prepositionalמֵfromnoun phraseחֻקֶּ֑יdecreesךָyourכִּי(dm)clausepredicateשֶׁ֝֗קֶר[is].falsehoodnoun phrase · subjectתַּרְמִיתָֽdeceitfulnessםtheir

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text shows consistency with the Septuagint in its core message, although the Septuagint's wording differs. The Dead Sea Scrolls contain partial matches to the Masoretic Text, indicating some textual stability, though they also include editorial restorations.

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

סָ֭לִיתָ כָּל־ שׁוֹגִ֣ים מֵחֻקֶּ֑יךָ כִּי־ שֶׁ֝֗קֶר תַּרְמִיתָֽם׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
סָ֭לִיתָἐχουδένωσαςכָּל־πάνταςמֵחֻקֶּ֑יךָσουכִּי־ὅτιשֶׁ֝֗קֶרἄδικον

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.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 5Q5a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[סלית] [כל] [שוגים] מחקי׳ך כי שקר תרמית׳ם

4 words on the leather — 3 supplied entire by an editor.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 11Q5a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

סליתה כול שוגים מחוקי׳כה כי שקר תרמית׳ם

7 words on the leather.

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.

Psalms 119:118סָלָהyou rejectyou rejectסָלָהכֹּלallallכֹּלשָׁגָה[those who][those who] go שָׁגָהחֹקfrom decreefrom decrees yoחֹקכִּיforforכִּישֶׁ֫קֶר[is] falseh[is] falsehoodשֶׁ֫קֶרתׇּרְמָהdeceitfulnedeceitfulness tתׇּרְמָהכָּלַלto perfectto perfectכָּלַלחָקַקto decreeto decreeחָקַקשָׁקַרto dealto dealשָׁקַררָמָהto shootto shootרָמָהנָבָאto prophesto prophesyנָבָאכֶּ֫תֶםgoldgoldכֶּ֫תֶםלֹאnotnotלֹאעֵדָהcongregaticongregationעֵדָהעֲבֹדָהserviceserviceעֲבֹדָהשֵׁכָרstrong dristrong drinkשֵׁכָרתָּעָהto go astrto go astrayתָּעָהלָמַדto learn: to learn: teachלָמַדמִצְוָהcommandmencommandmentמִצְוָהיָדַעto knowto knowיָדַעעֵדwitnesswitnessעֵדשֶׁ֫קֶרdeceptiondeceptionשֶׁ֫קֶר
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 Psalms 119:118

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.

you reject all [those who] go astray from decrees your for [is] falsehood deceitfulness their
סָ֭לִיתָSa.li.ta you reject H5541 Verb · Qal · perfect second person masculine singular
4× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to weigh or balance something, like measuring its value or importance, as seen in the book of Job. It can also mean to tread down or contemptuously treat something. In the Bible, it is used to describe God's judgment and evaluation of humanity.
Amplified meaning
set at nought, trodden down
Tyndale gloss
to reject
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

סָלָה (salá) is a Hebrew verb with meanings related to weighing and rejecting. It can denote making light of something, tossing it aside, or weighing and balancing it. The entries suggest a figurative sense of contempt in some uses, particularly in the Piel form, where it conveys flouting or rejecting. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[סָלָה] vb. make light of, toss aside

Qal thou dost make light of all those that err from thy statutes.

Pi. intens. Adonay hath flouted at my mighty ones.

base

[סָלָה] vb. weigh, balance;—Pu.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5541a סָלָה make light of, toss aside H5541b סָלָה weigh, balance

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5541 calah saw-law'

a primitive root; to hang up, i.e. weigh, or (figuratively)

contemn:--tread down (under foot), value.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

סָלָה (sa.lah) — to reject.

1) to make light of, toss aside

1a) (Qal) to make light of

1b) (Piel) to flout, reject

סָלָה (sa.lah) — to weigh.

1) to weigh, balance

1a) (Pual) to be weighed

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-2ms — Verb · Qal · perfect second person masculine singular
HVqp2ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
you reject all [those who] go astray from decrees your for [is] falsehood deceitfulness their
כָּל־kol- all H3605 Noun common · masculine singular construct
5,415× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Tyndale gloss
all
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all

with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

Absolutely:

without the art., all things, all

with the art. הַכֹּל

where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all

. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3605 kol kole

or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;

hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a

plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any

(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as

many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,

whoso(-ever).

see HEBREW for 03634

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֹּל (kol) — all.

1) all, the whole

1a) all, the whole of

1b) any, each, every, anything

1c) totality, everything

Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

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

ol: Used in various combinations, and with different meanings.

(1) All along, "Weeping all along as he went" (Jer 41:6), i.e. throughout the whole way he went, feigning equal concern with the men from Shiloh, etc., for the destruction of the Temple, so as to put them off their guard.

(2) All in all, "That God may be all in all" (1Co 15:28, Greek: panta en pasin, "all things in all (persons and) things"). "The universe, with all it comprises, will wholly answer to God's will and reflect His mind" (Dummelow).

(3) All one, "It is all one" (Job 9:22), "it makes no difference whether I live or die."

(4) At all, "If thy father miss me at all" (1Sa 20:6), "in any way," "in the least."

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
you reject all [those who] go astray from decrees your for [is] falsehood deceitfulness their
שׁוֹגִ֣יםsho.Gim [those who] go astray H7686 Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine plural
21× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to wander or stray, often used to describe someone who has made a moral mistake or is drunk, like in Proverbs 5:23. It can also mean to lead someone astray.
Amplified meaning
err, wander
Tyndale gloss
to wander
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁגָה (shagah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to stray or err, often in a moral or mental sense. It can refer to wandering off course, committing sins of ignorance, or leading others astray. The entries highlight its use in both a literal and figurative context, including the idea of intoxication or being enraptured.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[שָׁגָה] vb. go astray, err

Qal

err, stray, of flock

swerve, meander, reel or roll

go astray

specif. commit sin of ignorance, inadvertence

Hiph. lead astray

lit.

mentally = mislead

morally

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7686 [שָׁגָה] go astray, err .. err, stray, of flock

. swerve, meander, reel or roll

. go astray

. specif. commit sin of ignorance, inadvertence

. lead astray . lit.

. mentally = mislead

. morally

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7686 shagah shaw-gaw'

a primitive root; to stray (causatively, mislead), usually

(figuratively) to mistake, especially (morally) to transgress;

by extension (through the idea of intoxication) to reel,

(figuratively) be enraptured:--(cause to) go astray, deceive,

err, be ravished, sin through ignorance, (let, make to)

wander.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁגָה (sha.gah) — to wander.

1) to go astray, stray, err

1a)(Qal)

1a1) to err, stray

1a2) to swerve, meander, reel, roll, be intoxicated, err (in drunkenness)

1a3) to go astray (morally)

1a4) to commit sin of ignorance or inadvertence, err (ignorantly)

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to lead astray

1b2) to lead astray, mislead (mentally)

1b3) to lead astray (morally)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine plural
HVqrmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

a-stra' (ta`ah, "to wander," "to err"; planaomai, "to go astray," each carrying the idea of being lost): With one exception (Ex 23:4 "his ass going astray") used metaphorically of moral wandering, going astray in paths of error and sin, like "sheep going astray" (1Pe 2:25 the King James Version; Isa 53:6; Ps 119:176).

This wandering may be due

(1) to inherent evil (Ps 58:3);

(2) to false shepherds (Jer 50:6); contrast the beautiful and classic passage, Mt 18:12,13, the Son of man (verse 12) seeketh that which is…

you reject all [those who] go astray from decrees your for [is] falsehood deceitfulness their
מֵחֻקֶּ֑יךָme.chu.Kei.cha from decrees your H2706 Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
127× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means a decree or law given by God, like the Ten Commandments. It appears in books like Exodus and Deuteronomy, guiding the Israelites' actions. This concept is essential to understanding God's expectations.
Amplified meaning
decrees, laws
Tyndale gloss
statute: decree
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חֹק (choq) refers to something prescribed, such as a statute, ordinance, or limit. It encompasses a range of meanings, including prescribed tasks, portions, and decrees, whether from God or man. The plural form, חֻקִּים, denotes multiple enactments or statutes. The entries consistently emphasize its legal and prescriptive nature.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חֹק 127 n.m. something prescribed, a statute or due

prescribed task

prescribed-portion or allowance of food

action prescribed for oneself, resolve

prescribed due of the priest from offerings

prescribed limit, boundary

enactment, decree, ordinance of either God or man

pl. חֻקִּים enactments, statutes of a law

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2706 חֹק something prescribed, a statute or due . prescribed task

. prescribed-portion or allowance of food

. action prescribed for oneself, resolve

. prescribed due of the priest from offerings

. prescribed limit, boundary

. enactment, decree, ordinance of either God or man

. pl. חֻקִּים enactments, statutes of a law

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2706 choq khoke

from 2710; an enactment; hence, an appointment (of time,

space, quantity, labor or usage):--appointed, bound,

commandment, convenient, custom, decree(-d), due, law,

measure, X necessary, ordinance(- nary), portion, set time,

statute, task.

see HEBREW for 02710

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חֹק (choq) — statute: decree.

: decree

1) statute, ordinance, limit, something prescribed, due

1a) prescribed task

1b) prescribed portion

1c) action prescribed (for oneself), resolve

1d) prescribed due

1e) prescribed limit, boundary

1f) enactment, decree, ordinance

1f1) specific decree

1f2) law in general

1g) enactments, statutes

1g1) conditions

1g2) enactments

1g3) decrees

1g4) civil enactments prescribed by God

חֹק (choq) — statute: portion.

: portion

1) statute, ordinance, limit, something prescribed, due

1a) prescribed task

1b) prescribed portion

1c) action prescribed (for oneself), resolve

1d) prescribed due

1e) prescribed limit, boundary

1f) enactment, decree, ordinance

1f1) specific decree

1f2) law in general

1g) enactments, statutes

1g1) conditions

1g2) enactments

1g3) decrees

1g4) civil enactments prescribed by God

חֹק (choq) — statute: allotment.

: allotment/boundary

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-mp | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HR/Ncmpc/Sp2ms
you reject all [those who] go astray from decrees your for [is] falsehood deceitfulness their
כִּי־ki- for H3588 Particle
4,483× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A conjunction used to show cause or connection, as in Genesis 2:23 where Adam says the woman is bone of his bone because she was taken out of him. It is often translated as 'for', 'because', or 'since'.
Tyndale gloss
for
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כִּי (ki) is a conjunction primarily meaning 'that,' 'for,' or 'when.' It indicates causal relationships and can express conditions like 'if' or 'though.' The word is versatile, appearing in various contexts to convey certainty, exception, or concession. Notably, it can combine with other particles to modify its meaning, such as in the phrase כִּי אם־ (ki im), meaning 'that if.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי conj. that, for, when

that

Of time, when, of the past

elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

Because, since

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

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3588a כִּי that, for, when . that

. . Of time, when, of the past

. elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

. when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

. Because, since

H3588b 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

H3588c כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3588 kiy kee

a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional

prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent

or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative

conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by

other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch,

where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else,

even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, +

nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then,

therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when,

whether, while, whom, yea, yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כִּי (ki) — for.

1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if

1f) but rather, but

1g) except that

1h) only, nevertheless

1i) surely

1j) that is

1k) but if

1l) for though

1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

כִּי [אם] (ki im) — that if: except.

1) except if

1a) but if

1b) even though

כִּי [עַל כֵּן] (ki [al ken]) — for as that: since.

1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj — Particle
HTc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

for (ki (conjunction), le, from 'el (preposition), and various other words. In the New Testament also the words are various, chiefly gar, kai gar, hoti (conjunctions); anti apo eis dia (accusative), epi (dative and accusative), peri (genitive), pros (genitive and accusative), huper (genitive) (prepositions)): the English Revised Version and the American Standard Revised Version give in many cases more literal or more accurate renderings than those in the King James Version.

In the New Testament the most important preps. from a doctrinal point of view are anti, "face to face," "over against," "instead," "on behalf of," peri, "around," "about," "concerning," huper, "over," "on behalf of." The first has been claimed as stating the substitutionary nature of Christ's sacrifice as contrasted with huper and peri, more frequently used of it. But, although anti in the New Testament often means…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
you reject all [those who] go astray from decrees your for [is] falsehood deceitfulness their
שֶׁ֝֗קֶרShe.ker [is] falsehood H8267 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
113× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to deception or falsehood, often implying a sense of betrayal or disappointment. It's used in the Bible to describe lies, false testimony, or deceitful behavior, like in Psalm 116:11, where the psalmist says all men are liars.
Amplified meaning
useless, without profit
Tyndale gloss
deception
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שֶׁ֫קֶר (sheqer) refers to deception, falsehood, and disappointment. It encompasses various forms of deceit, including fraud and wrongful testimony. The word is built from the root associated with untruths and can imply sham or lying. It is used in contexts involving false prophets and general dishonesty.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שֶׁ֫קֶר 113 n.m. deception, disappointment, falsehood

deception, what deceives, disappoints, and betrays one

deceit, fraud, wrong

injurious falsehood, in testimony

falsity, of false or self-deceived prophets

lie, falsehood, in gen.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8267 שֶׁ֫קֶר deception, disappointment, falsehood . deception, what deceives, disappoints, and betrays one

. deceit, fraud, wrong

. injurious falsehood, in testimony

. falsity, of false or self-deceived prophets

. lie, falsehood, in gen.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8267 sheqer sheh'-ker

from 8266; an untruth; by implication, a sham (often

adverbial):--without a cause, deceit(-ful),

false(-hood, -ly), feignedly, liar, + lie, lying, vain

(thing), wrongfully.

see HEBREW for 08266

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שֶׁ֫קֶר (she.qer) — deception.

1) lie, deception, disappointment, falsehood

1a) deception (what deceives or disappoints or betrays one)

1b) deceit, fraud, wrong

1b1) fraudulently, wrongfully (as adverb)

1c) falsehood (injurious in testimony)

1c1) testify falsehood, false oath, swear falsely

1d) falsity (of false or self-deceived prophets)

1e) lie, falsehood (in general)

1e1) false tongue

1f) in vain

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

fols'-hood.

See LYING.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ General scriptures concerning Ex 20:16; 23:1; Le 6:2-7; 19:11,12,16; Job 13:4; 21:34; 27:4; 31:5,6,33; 36:4; Ps 5:6,9; 10:7; 12:2,3; 28:3; 31:18; 34:13; 36:3; 50:19,20; 52:2-5; 55:21,23; 58:3; 59:12; 62:4; 63:11; 101:5,7; 109:2; 116:11; 119:29,69,163; 120:2-4; 144:8,11; Pr 2:12-15; 3:3; 6:12,13,17-19; 10:9,10,18,31; 11:9; 12:17,19,20,22; 13:5; 14:5,8,25; 17:4,7; 19:5,9,22,28; 20:17; 21:6; 26:18,19,24-26,28; 27:14; Ec 5:6; Isa 28:15; 32:7; 57:11; 59:3,4,12,13; 63:8;

you reject all [those who] go astray from decrees your for [is] falsehood deceitfulness their
תַּרְמִיתָֽם׃tar.mi.Tam deceitfulness their H8649 Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
6× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means deceitfulness or fraud, describing actions that are dishonest or treacherous. It is used to describe secret or sneaky behavior, often with negative intentions.
Amplified meaning
deceit, falsehood
Tyndale gloss
treachery
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תׇּרְמָה (tormah) refers to treachery and is noted for its association with deceitfulness, fraud, and treacherous behavior. The word appears in Judges 9:31, where it is linked to treachery. There are variations in form, including תַּרְמִית (tar.mit), which also denotes deceitfulness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

תׇּרְמָה in Ju 9:31 in treachery, treacherously, but form strange and meaning unsuitable

ref

תׇּרְמִית n.f. deceitfulness

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8649a תׇּרְמָה in treachery, treacherously, but form and meaning unsuitable H8649b תׇּרְמִית deceitfulness

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8649 tormah tor-maw'

and tarmuwth {tar-mooth'}; or tarmiyth {tar-meeth'}; from

7411; fraud:--deceit(-ful), privily.

see HEBREW for 07411

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תׇּרְמָה (tor.mah) — treachery.

in treachery, treacherously

תַּרְמִית (tar.mit) — deceitfulness.

deceitfulness, treachery, fraud, deceit

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
HNcfsc/Sp3mp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
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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