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Proverbs 1:16 — Word Study

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WLCכִּ֣י רַ֭גְלֵיהֶם לָרַ֣ע יָר֑וּצוּ וִֽ֝ימַהֲר֗וּ לִשְׁפָּךְ־ דָּֽם׃

BSAForkîy their feetregel [running swiftly to wrongdoing] runrûwts to evilraʻ [bad or morally harmful] and they are swiftmâhar [hurrying, making haste] to shedshâphak [pour out, spill] blooddâm [the liquid essential for life]

Word
Listen & take awayProverbs 1
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 16 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 (Dam) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Proverbs 1:16quick helps
In a sentenceThe verse describes the eagerness of certain individuals to pursue wrongdoing and violence.
Who is speakingThe author of Proverbs, addressing a son, warns against associating with those who act wickedly.
Where we areThis verse is part of a broader admonition against following the path of the wicked.
The hard wordיָר֑וּצוּ
Take awayThe text highlights the danger of being quick to engage in evil actions.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbרוּץ 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 1:16

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 — The Call to Wisdomgenerated

15my son, do not walk the road with them or set foot upon their path.
16For their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed blood.
17How futile it is to spread the net where any bird can see it!
18But they lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush their own lives.

Proverbs 1:16 warns against the company of those who are quick to commit evil acts, illustrating a moral lesson about the consequences of such behavior. This verse is part of a larger discourse on the importance of wisdom and the dangers of following the wrong path, as seen in the surrounding verses, which emphasize the need for discernment and caution in one's associations.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Proverbs 4:16For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; they are deprived of slumber until they make someone fall.
2Proverbs 6:18a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that run swiftly to evil,
3Isaiah 59:7Their feet run to evil; they are swift to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are sinful thoughts; ruin and destruction lie in their wake.
4Romans 3:5But if our unrighteousness highlights the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unjust to inflict His wrath on us? I am speaking in human terms.

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

For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.Proverbs 4:16 Proverbs 6:18 Isaiah 59:7 Romans 3:5

The Key Word יָר֑וּצוּ, ya.Ru.tzugenerated

The verb רוּץ (ruts) means to run and is used here in the imperfect tense, indicating an ongoing action. It conveys a sense of urgency and swiftness, as the individuals described are not just walking but actively running towards evil.

This choice of verb emphasizes the eagerness and determination of these individuals to engage in wrongdoing, highlighting a moral failing that leads to destructive outcomes.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The translations agree on the rendering of the key actions in this verse, with all versions using similar language to convey the swift movement towards evil and the act of shedding blood.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb יָר֑וּצוּ (they run) governs the sentence, with two phrases following: one describing the direction of their running and another indicating their swiftness to commit violence. The structure emphasizes the actions of the subjects as they rush towards evil.

The sentence flows from the subject's actions to their consequences, illustrating a clear cause-and-effect relationship that underscores the moral lesson being conveyed.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the Hebrew word יָר֑וּצוּ is rendered as τρέξουσιν (they run), which maintains the meaning of swift movement. This choice reflects a direct translation of the urgency inherent in the original Hebrew.

The Greek also captures the moral implications of the actions described, aligning closely with the Hebrew text's intent to warn against the pursuit of evil.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Proverbs 1:16 explains that some people eagerly run towards evil and are quick to commit acts of violence. This verse serves as a warning to avoid such individuals and their destructive ways.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that their feet run to evil?

This phrase indicates that these individuals are quick to engage in wrongdoing and do not hesitate to pursue harmful actions.

Why is shedding blood mentioned?

Shedding blood symbolizes violence and the severity of the actions these individuals are willing to take, highlighting the moral consequences of their behavior.

How does this verse relate to the surrounding verses?

It serves as a part of a larger warning against associating with the wicked, emphasizing the importance of choosing one's companions wisely.

What lesson can be learned from this verse?

The verse teaches the importance of being cautious about the company we keep and the actions we take, as they can lead to destructive paths.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways can I recognize individuals who are quick to engage in wrongdoing?
  2. How can I ensure that my actions align with wisdom rather than rushing towards evil?
  3. What steps can I take to avoid being influenced by negative behavior in my environment?
  4. How can I encourage others to choose paths that lead to life rather than destruction?

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

Early church writers reference this verse to discuss moral behavior and the importance of pursuing righteousness over evil.

Gregory of NazianzusON HOLY BAPTISM, ORATION 40:39 c. 329–390
It is good for the … feet … that they be not swift to shed blood or to run to evil, but that they be prompted to run to the gospel and the prize of the high calling, and to receive Christ who washes and cleanses them.
Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 1 →
Apostolic ConstitutionsCONSTITUTIONS OF THE HOLY APOSTLES c. 375–380
It is not fair to be too hasty in casting out an offender but slow in receiving him when he returns; to be forward in cutting off but unmerciful when he is sorrowful and ought to be healed.
Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 1 →
Nilus of SinaiCONSTITUTIONS OF THE HOLY APOSTLES 2:3.21 d. c. 430
It is not fair to be too hasty in casting out an offender but slow in receiving him when he returns; to be forward in cutting off but unmerciful when he is sorrowful and ought to be healed.
Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 1 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Proverbs 1:16 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

For their feet run to evil,.... To the evil of sin, to commit robberies and murder, and all manner of iniquity; they are eager upon it, and in haste and swift to do it, Proverbs 6:18 (x); being

Read John Gill on Proverbs 1 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood. For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood. Isaiah 59:7 is drawn from this.

Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 1 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Their feet run; they make haste, as it follows, without considering what they are doing. To evil; to do evil to others, as was expressed ,12, which also will bring evil upon themselves. To shed blood; to shed innocent blood; which is an inhuman and dangerous practice.

Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 1 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Proverbs 1:16 For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.Ver. 16. For their feet run to evil.] By the abuse of their locomotive faculty, given them to a better purpose. They "run," as if they should not come time enough; they take long strides toward the burning lake, which is now but a little before them.

Read John Trapp on Proverbs 1 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(16) For their feet . . .—The first reason against taking part with them: the horrible nature of the crime they are committing.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Proverbs 1 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 16. For their feet run to evil] The whole of this verse is wanting in the Septuagint, and in the Arabic.

Read AdamClarke on Proverbs 1 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

16. This verse is omitted here by the LXX. It occurs again in Isaiah 59:7, where, however, the Heb. (but not the LXX.) has “innocent” blood.

Read Cambridge on Proverbs 1 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

16. Their feet run to evil — They are hurrying on to the shedding of blood. Some understand this of their own blood, according to Proverbs 1:18; but they see it not, and hence the next verse. Compare Romans 10:15.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Proverbs 1 →

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

For their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed blood.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

for their feet run to evil. They hurry to shed blood.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

For their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed blood.

NETBNew English Translation2006

for they are eager to inflict harm, and they hasten to shed blood.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

For their feet run to evil, And they make haste to shed blood.

RVARevised Version, American1894

For their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

For their feete runne to euill, and make haste to shed blood.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

for their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

For their feet to evil do run, And they haste to shed blood.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

For their feet run to evil, || And they hurry to shed blood.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

For their feet run after evil, and they make haste to shed blood.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

their feet run to evil and they hurry to shed blood.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

For they rush to do evil; they hurry to commit violence and murder.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

For their feet are running after evil, and they are quick to take a man's life.

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.

כִּ֣י(dm)clausenoun phrase · subjectרַ֭גְלֵיfeetהֶםtheirprepositional phrase · prepositionalלָtonoun phrase(the)רַ֣עevilverbיָר֑וּצוּthey.runוִֽ֝andclauseverbימַהֲר֗וּthey.make.hasteprepositional phrase · prepositionalלִtoclauseverbשְׁפָּךְshedobjectדָּֽםblood

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 in their wording, with six of the seven words matched. The differences in word order and articles in the Septuagint reflect its unique syntactical structure rather than a divergence in meaning.

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

כִּ֣י רַ֭גְלֵיהֶם לָרַ֣ע יָר֑וּצוּ וִֽ֝ימַהֲר֗וּ לִשְׁפָּךְ־ דָּֽם׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
רַ֭גְלֵיהֶםαὐτῶνלָרַ֣עκακίανיָר֑וּצוּτρέξουσινוִֽ֝ימַהֲר֗וּταξινοὶלִשְׁפָּךְ־ἐκξέαιדָּֽם׃αἷμα

6 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 1:16כִּיforforכִּירֶ֫גֶלfeet theirfeet theirרֶ֫גֶלרַעto evilto evilרַערוּץthey runthey runרוּץמָהַרand they maand they may maמָהַרשָׁפַךְto shedto shedשָׁפַךְדָּםbloodbloodדָּםרָגַלto spyto spyרָגַלרָעַעbe evilbe evilרָעַעדָּמַםto silenceto silence: staדָּמַםיָדַעto knowto knowיָדַעבֹּ֫הֶןthumb/big thumb/big toeבֹּ֫הֶןיְמָנִיrightrightיְמָנִימַעֲלָלdeeddeedמַעֲלָלנחםto be sorrto be sorry: coנחםקָרָאto encountto encounter: mקָרָאאֲבִיגַ֫יִלAbigailAbigailאֲבִיגַ֫יִלכַּדjarjarכַּדסֹלְלָהmoundmoundסֹלְלָהיְסוֹדfoundationfoundationיְסוֹדזָרַקto scatterto scatterזָרַקנָקִיinnocentinnocentנָקִי
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 1:16

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.

for feet their to evil they run and they may make haste to shed blood
כִּ֣יki 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
for feet their to evil they run and they may make haste to shed blood
רַ֭גְלֵיהֶםRag.lei.hem feet their H7272 Noun common feminine dual construct · suffix
247× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word also means a foot, like when God says he will tread on the wicked in Malachi 4:3. It's used to describe human and animal feet, as well as the base of objects like tables or idols.
Amplified meaning
running swiftly to wrongdoing
Tyndale gloss
foot
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רֶ֫גֶל (regel) means 'foot' and can refer to a foot or leg in various contexts, including anthropomorphic references to God and other beings. It also implies steps or paces. The word is derived from a root meaning related to walking, and it appears in multiple forms, such as feet and paces.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רֶ֫גֶל 247 n.f. foot

foot

three times (feet, paces)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7272 רֶ֫גֶל foot . foot

. three times (feet, paces)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7272 regel reh'-gel

from 7270; a foot (as used in walking); by implication, a

step; by euphem. the pudenda:--X be able to endure, X

according as, X after, X coming, X follow,

((broken-))foot((-ed, -stool)), X great toe, X haunt, X

journey, leg, + piss, + possession, time.

see HEBREW for 07270

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רֶ֫גֶל (re.gel) — foot.

1) foot

1a) foot, leg

1b) of God (anthropomorphic)

1c) of seraphim, cherubim, idols, animals, table

1d) according to the pace of (with prep)

1e) three times (feet, paces)

Aramaic equivalent: re.gal (רְגַל "foot" H7271)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fd | Suff — Noun common feminine dual construct · suffix
HNcfdc/Sp3mp
for feet their to evil they run and they may make haste to shed blood
לָרַ֣עla.Ra' to evil H7451 Preposition
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 or morally harmful
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
Prep | N-ms — Preposition
HRd/Aamsa
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

for feet their to evil they run and they may make haste to shed blood
יָר֑וּצוּya.Ru.tzu they run H7323 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
103× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To run or rush, often used to describe someone moving quickly, as seen in the story of the runners in Jeremiah 51:31. This verb appears in various forms, including running swiftly or darting. It is used to convey a sense of urgency or haste.
Tyndale gloss
to run: run
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רוּץ (ruts) means to run, encompassing various nuances such as running swiftly or causing someone to run away. It is a primitive root that can imply actions like breaking down or dividing quickly. The word appears in different forms, including participles for runners or messengers. There is some overlap in definitions across lexicons, but they consistently focus on the core idea of running.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רוּץ vb. run

Qal

run

pl. the runners (prop. out-runners)

runner = (royal messenger, post, late)

Pō‛lēl they run swiftly, dart

Hiph. cause to run

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7323 רוּץ run

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7323 ruwts roots

a primitive root; to run (for whatever reason, especially to

rush):--break down, divide speedily, footman, guard, bring

hastily, (make) run (away, through), post.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רוּץ (ruts) — to run: run.

: run/runner/messenger

1) to run

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to run

1a2) runners (participle as subst)

1b) (Polel) to run swiftly, dart

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to bring or move quickly, hurry

1c2) to drive away from, cause to run away

רוּץ (ruts) — to run: guard.

: guard

1) to run

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to run

1a2) runners (participle as subst)

1b) (Polel) to run swiftly, dart

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to bring or move quickly, hurry

1c2) to drive away from, cause to run away

רוּץ (ruts) — to run: pieces.

: pieces

1) to run

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to run

1a2) runners (participle as subst)

1b) (Polel) to run swiftly, dart

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to bring or move quickly, hurry

1c2) to drive away from, cause to run away

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
HVqi3mp
for feet their to evil they run and they may make haste to shed blood
וִֽ֝ימַהֲר֗וּvi.ma.ha.Ru and they may make haste H4116 Conjunction · verb piel third person masculine plural
68× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to hurry or do something quickly, like when someone is in a rush. It can also mean to buy something by paying a price. The Bible uses it in Genesis.
Amplified meaning
hurrying, making haste
Tyndale gloss
to hasten
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָהַר (mahar) primarily means to hasten or hurry, conveying a sense of urgency or quickness. It can describe being anxious or impetuous, as well as the act of preparing or bringing something quickly. Additionally, it has a secondary meaning related to acquiring something by payment. The lexicons agree on these definitions without notable disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[מָהַר] vb. hasten

Niph. be hurried = anxious, disturbed; hasty, precipitate; impetuous

Pi.

hasten, make haste = go or come quickly

hasten vb.

trans. hasten, = prepare quickly; = bring quickly; = do quickly

base

מָהַר vb. denom. acquire by paying purchase-price

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4116a [מָהַר] hasten . be hurried = anxious, disturbed; hasty, precipitate; impetuous

. . hasten, make haste = go or come quickly

. hasten vb.

. trans. hasten, = prepare quickly; = bring quickly; = do quickly

H4116b מָהַר vb. denom. acquire by paying purchase-price

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4116 mahar maw-har'

a primitive root; properly, to be liquid or flow easily, i.e.

(by implication); to hurry (in a good or a bad sense); often

used (with another verb) adverbially, promptly:--be carried

headlong, fearful, (cause to make, in, make) haste(-n, -ily),

(be) hasty, (fetch, make ready) X quickly, rash, X shortly,

(be so) X soon, make speed, X speedily, X straightway, X

suddenly, swift.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָהַר (ma.har) — to hasten.

1)(Qal) to hasten

1a) (Niphal) to be hurried, be anxious

1a) hasty, precipitate, impetuous

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to hasten, make haste

1b2) hasten (used as adverb with another verb)

1b3) to hasten, prepare quickly, do quickly, bring quickly

מָהַר (ma.har) — to buy.

acquire by paying purchase-price

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Piel-Imperf-3mp — Conjunction · verb piel third person masculine plural
HC/Vpu3mp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hast (chaphaz, chush, mahar; speudo): "Haste" (from a root meaning "to pursue") implies "celerity of motion."

(1) The noun occurs as translation of mahar, "to hasten," etc. (Ex 10:16; 12:33, "in haste"); of chapaz, "to make haste" (2Ki 7:15; Ps 31:22; 116:11, "I said in my haste (the Revised Version margin "alarm"), All men are liars"); of chippazon, a "hasty flight" (Ex 12:11; De 16:3; Isa 52:12); of nachats, "to be urgent" (1Sa 21:8, "The king's business required haste").

Nave's Topical Bible

→ In judgment, by Moses and the Israelites Nu 32:1-19; Jos 22:10-34

→ See RASHNESS

for feet their to evil they run and they may make haste to shed blood
לִשְׁפָּךְ־lish.pokh- to shed H8210 Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
115× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To pour or spill something out, like blood or a liquid. In the Bible, it can mean to shed blood or to pour out one's heart in prayer or complaint. For example, in Psalm 42:4, the writer pours out his soul to God.
Amplified meaning
pour out, spill
Tyndale gloss
to pour: pour
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁפַךְ (shaphak) is a Hebrew verb meaning to pour out or spill. It encompasses a range of actions, including pouring liquids, shedding blood, and even expressing emotions like anger. The word can also imply figurative uses, such as expending life or resources. Various forms of the verb exist, indicating different nuances, such as being poured out or pouring oneself out.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁפַךְ 113 vb. pour out, pour

Qal

lit.

fig.

Niph. be poured out

Pu. be poured out

Hithp. my soul pours itself out upon me

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8210 שָׁפַךְ pour out, pour

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8210 shaphak shaw-fak'

a primitive root; to spill forth (blood, a libation, liquid

metal; or even a solid, i.e. to mound up); also (figuratively)

to expend (life, soul, complaint, money, etc.); intensively,

to sprawl out:--cast (up), gush out, pour (out), shed(-der,

out), slip.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁפַךְ (sha.phakh) — to pour: pour.

: pour

1) to pour, pour out, spill

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to pour, pour out

1a2) to shed (blood)

1a3) to pour out (anger or heart) (fig)

1b) (Niphal) to be poured out, be shed

1c) (Pual) to be poured out, be shed

1d) (Hithpael)

1d1) to be poured out

1d2) to pour out oneself

שָׁפַךְ (sha.phakh) — to pour: kill.

: kill/shed(blood/life)

1) to pour, pour out, spill

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to pour, pour out

1a2) to shed (blood)

1a3) to pour out (anger or heart) (fig)

1b) (Niphal) to be poured out, be shed

1c) (Pual) to be poured out, be shed

1d) (Hithpael)

1d1) to be poured out

1d2) to pour out oneself

שָׁפַךְ (sha.phakh) — to pour: build siege mound.

: build_siege_mound

1) to pour, pour out, spill

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to pour, pour out

1a2) to shed (blood)

1a3) to pour out (anger or heart) (fig)

1b) (Niphal) to be poured out, be shed

1c) (Pual) to be poured out, be shed

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
HR/Vqcc
for feet their to evil they run and they may make haste to shed blood
דָּֽם׃Dam blood H1818 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
360× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Blood refers to the liquid that flows through the body, essential for life. In the Bible, blood is often used to symbolize life, guilt, or sacrifice, as seen in the story of Jesus' crucifixion.
Amplified meaning
the liquid essential for life
Tyndale gloss
blood
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

דָּם (dam) means 'blood' and refers to the blood of both humans and animals. It is often associated with death, particularly when shed, and can also figuratively denote the juice of grapes or bloodshed. The term carries religious significance and is used in various contexts, including references to guilt and innocence.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

דָּם 300 n.m. blood

blood of man or animal

usually blood become visible

blood used with religious significance

fig. of wine

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1818 דָּם blood

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1818 dam dawm

from 1826 (compare 119); blood (as that which when shed

causes death) of man or an animal; by analogy, the juice of

the grape; figuratively (especially in the plural) bloodshed

(i.e. drops of blood):--blood(-y, -guiltiness, (-thirsty), +

innocent.

see HEBREW for 01826

see HEBREW for 0119

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

דָּם (dam) — blood.

1) blood

1a) of wine (fig.)

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

blud (dam, probably from 'adham "to be red"; haima): Used in the Old Testament to designate the life principle in either animal or vegetable, as the blood of man or the juice of the grape (Le 17:11, et al.); in the New Testament for the blood of an animal, the atoning blood of Christ, and in both Old Testament and New Testament in a figurative sense for bloodshed or murder (Ge 37:26; Ho 4:2; Re 16:6).

1. Primitive Ideas:

Although the real function of the blood in the human system was not fully known until the fact of its circulation was established by William Harvey in 1615, nevertheless from the earliest times a singular mystery has been attached to it by all peoples. Blood…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Blood

(1.) As food, prohibited in Gen. 9:4, where the use of animal food is first allowed. Comp. Deut. 12:23; Lev. 3:17; 7:26; 17:10-14. The injunction to abstain from blood is renewed in the decree of the council of Jerusalem (Acts 15:29). It has been held by some, and we think correctly, that this law of prohibition was only ceremonial and temporary; while others regard it as still binding on all. Blood was eaten by the Israelites after the battle of Gilboa (1 Sam. 14:32-34).

(2.) The blood of sacrifices was caught by the priest in a basin, and then sprinkled seven times on the altar; that of the passover on the…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

To blood is ascribed in Scripture the mysterious sacredness which belongs to life, and God reserved it to himself when allowing man the dominion over and the use of the lower animals for food. Thus reserved, it acquires a double power: (1) that of sacrificial atonement; and (2) that of becoming a curse when wantonly shed, unless duly expiated. (Genesis 9:4; Leviticus 7:26; 17:11-13)

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The life of all animals was regarded as especially in the blood, which was a sacred and essential part of the sacrifices offered to God, Heb 9:22. It was solemnly sprinkled upon the altar and the mercy seat, "for it is the blood that maketh atonement for the soul," Le 17:1-16 the life of the victim for the life of the sinner. It was therefore most sacredly associated with the blood of the Lamb of God which "cleanseth us from all sin," Eph 1:7 1Jo 1:7. Hence the strict prohibition renewed in Ac 15:29. In direct opposition to this are the heathen customs of drinking the blood of animals and even of men- of eating raw flesh, with the blood, and even fresh cut from the living…

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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