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Proverbs 14:2 — Word Study

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WLCהוֹלֵ֣ךְ בְּ֭יָשְׁרוֹ יְרֵ֣א יְהוָ֑ה וּנְל֖וֹז דְּרָכָ֣יו בּוֹזֵֽהוּ׃

BSAHe who walkshâlak [goes, travels] in uprightnessyôsher [morally straight, righteous living] fearsyârêʼ [reveres, has awe for] the LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, the Almighty God] but the one who is deviouslûwz [perverse, twisted] in his waysderek [path, manner of life] despises Himbâzâh [holds in contempt, disregards]

Word
Listen & take awayProverbs 14
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 2 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 (bo.Ze.hu) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Proverbs 14:2quick helps
In a sentenceThe verse contrasts two types of people: the upright who fear the LORD and the devious who despise Him.
Who is speakingThe writer of Proverbs, presenting wisdom about moral conduct.
Where we areIn the context of wise living, contrasting the paths of the righteous and the wicked.
The hard wordבּוֹזֵֽהוּ
Take awayThe fear of the LORD leads to a life of integrity, while a devious life leads to contempt for God.
7 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbהָלַךְ The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Proverbs 14:2

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 Contrast of Righteousness and Wickednessgenerated

1Every wise woman builds her house, but a foolish one tears it down with her own hands.
2He who walks in uprightness fears the LORD, but the one who is devious in his ways despises Him.
3The proud speech of a fool brings a rod to his back, but the lips of the wise protect them.
4Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but an abundant harvest comes through the strength of the ox.

Proverbs 14:2 contrasts two types of individuals: those who walk in uprightness and fear the LORD, and those who are devious in their ways and despise Him. This verse emphasizes the moral implications of one's conduct and the relationship with God. The surrounding verses further explore themes of wisdom and foolishness, illustrating the consequences of one's choices.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Proverbs 16:17The highway of the upright leads away from evil; he who guards his way protects his life.
2Proverbs 28:6Better a poor man who walks with integrity than a rich man whose ways are perverse.
31 Kings 3:6Solomon replied, “You have shown much loving devotion to Your servant, my father David, because he walked before You in faithfulness, righteousness, and uprightness of heart. And You have maintained this loving devotion by giving him a son to sit on his throne this very day.
4Job 1:1There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. And this man was blameless and upright, fearing God and shunning evil.
5Job 28:28And He said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”

The Key Word יְרֵ֣א, ye.Re'generated

The word יָרֵא (yare') is an adjective that describes someone who fears or reveres. It conveys a sense of awe and respect, particularly in relation to God. The parsing indicates that it functions as a descriptor of the subject, highlighting the moral aspect of fear — it is not merely being afraid, but having a deep reverence for the LORD.

In this verse, it signifies that the one who walks in uprightness possesses a healthy fear of God, which guides their actions and decisions. This fear is foundational to a righteous life, as it aligns one's behavior with God's will.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The translations agree on the meaning of יְרֵא as 'fears' or 'reveres' in relation to the LORD.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb הוֹלֵ֣ךְ (ho.Lekh) governs the main clause, describing the subject's action of walking. The structure includes a prepositional phrase that modifies the subject, indicating the manner of life, and a contrasting clause that describes the devious individual.

The sentence highlights the moral dichotomy between the upright and the crooked, with the main action of walking in uprightness leading to a reverent fear of the LORD.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the Hebrew word יְרֵא is rendered as φοβεῖται (phobeitai), which carries a similar meaning of fear or reverence. This choice emphasizes the moral and spiritual significance of fearing God, aligning with the Hebrew context.

The translation reflects a consistent understanding of the relationship between uprightness and reverence for the LORD.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Proverbs 14:2 teaches that those who live righteously and fear the LORD are on the right path, while those who are crooked in their ways show contempt for Him. This verse highlights the importance of moral integrity and the consequences of one's choices.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to fear the LORD?

To fear the LORD means to have a deep respect and reverence for God, recognizing His authority and moral standards.

How does uprightness relate to fearing God?

Uprightness is a reflection of one's moral integrity, and fearing God provides the motivation to live righteously.

What are the consequences of being devious in one's ways?

Being devious leads to a contemptuous attitude towards God, which ultimately results in negative consequences in life.

How can I cultivate a fear of the LORD in my life?

Cultivating a fear of the LORD involves studying His word, understanding His character, and striving to live according to His principles.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What does it mean to walk in uprightness in my daily life?
  2. How can I develop a deeper fear and reverence for the LORD?
  3. In what ways might I be tempted to be devious in my actions?
  4. How does my understanding of God's character influence my moral choices?

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

Early church fathers comment on this verse to emphasize the importance of fearing God and living righteously, illustrating its moral significance.

John ChrysostomCOMMENTARY ON THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON, FRAGMENT 14:2 c. 347–407
“He who walks straight, fears the Lord.” Not just any fear makes people walk straight, but the fear of God.… A life provided with virtue is quite illustrious, but the addition of fear makes persons more religious.
Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 14 →
BedeCommentary on Proverbs c. 673–735
Walking in a right path, and fearing God, etc. For religion is an abomination to sinners. It seems foolish to the unbelievers when the faithful, due to the fear of God,
Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 14 →

Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Proverbs 14:2 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the Lord,.... It is plain that the fear of the Lord is upon the heart and before the eyes of such that walk according to the word of God, with a sincere

Read John Gill on Proverbs 14 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the LORD: but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him. He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the Lord: but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him.

Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 14 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

That walketh in his uprightness; whose conversation is sincerely pious and righteous. The design of this proverb and verse is to show that God doth, and men may, judge of men’ s outward professions and inward dispositions by the common course of their lives. Despiseth him; plainly declares that he doth not fear God, but despise him, and his commands and threatenings.

Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 14 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Proverbs 14:2 He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the LORD: but [he that is] perverse in his ways despiseth him.Ver. 2. He that walketh in his uprightness, feareth the Lord.] He is "in the fear of the Lord all day long"; he walketh "in the fear of the Lord, and in the comforts of the Holy Ghost." "The fear of the Lord is upon him," so that he "takes heed and does it"; for he knows "it shall be well with them that fear God, that fear before him." God’ s "covenant was with Levi of life and peace, for the fear wherewith he feared God, and was afraid before his name." Hence "the law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with God in peace and equity…

Read John Trapp on Proverbs 14 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(2) He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the Lord.—Rather, He who fears the Lord walketh in his uprightness. (Comp. John 14:21.) And likewise, “he that despiseth Him is perverse in his ways.” The fear of God and its absence are clearly seen in the outward conduct.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Proverbs 14 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

2. The proverb maintains the intimate relation between piety and probity.

Read Cambridge on Proverbs 14 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

2. Walketh in his uprightness — Levelness, straightness. Feareth the Lord — As a general thing, there is no better evidence of true piety than rightness of conduct.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Proverbs 14 →

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

He who walks in uprightness fears the LORD, but the one who is devious in his ways despises Him.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

He who walks in his uprightness fears Yahweh, but he who is perverse in his ways despises him.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

He who walks in uprightness fears the LORD, but the one who is devious in his ways despises Him.

NETBNew English Translation2006

The one who walks in his uprightness fears the Lord, but the one who is perverted in his ways despises him.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the LORD: but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

He that walketh in his uprightness feareth Jehovah; But he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him.

RVARevised Version, American1894

He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the LORD: but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the LORD: but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

He that walketh in his righteousnes, feareth the Lord: but he that is lewde in his wayes, despiseth him.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

He that walketh in his uprightness feareth Jehovah; but he that is perverted in his ways despiseth him.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Whoso is walking in his uprightness is fearing Jehovah, And the perverted [in] his ways is despising Him.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Whoever is walking in his uprightness is fearing YHWH, || And the perverted is despising Him [in] his ways.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

In his uprightness walketh he that feareth the Lord; but perverse in his ways is he that despiseth him.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

The one who walks uprightly fears Yahweh, but the one who is dishonest in his ways despises him.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

He that walketh in the right way, and feareth God, Cis despised by him that goeth by an infamous way.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Those who live right respect the Lord, but those who live dishonestly despise him.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

He who goes on his way in righteousness has before him the fear of the Lord; but he whose ways are twisted gives him no honour.

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


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

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

clausenoun phrase · subjectclauseverbהוֹלֵ֣ךְ[one.who].walksprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּ֭innoun phraseיָשְׁרuprightnessוֹhisnoun phrase · predicateיְרֵ֣א[is].fearingיְהוָ֑ה(of).Yahwehוּandclausenoun phrase · subjectנְל֖וֹז[one.who.is].crookednoun phraseדְּרָכָ֣יhis.waysוhisnoun phrase · predicateבּוֹזֵֽ[is].despisingהוּhim

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 meaning, with the Septuagint providing a word-for-word correspondence for many of the key terms. However, it presents a different word order, which may reflect interpretative nuances in the translation process.

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

הוֹלֵ֣ךְ בְּ֭יָשְׁרוֹ יְרֵ֣א יְהוָ֑ה וּנְל֖וֹז דְּרָכָ֣יו בּוֹזֵֽהוּ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
יְרֵ֣אφοβεῖταιוּנְל֖וֹזδὲדְּרָכָ֣יוαὐτοῦבּוֹזֵֽהוּ׃ἀτιμασθήσεται

4 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 14:2הָלַךְ[one who] w[one who] walksהָלַךְיֹ֫שֶׁרin uprightnin uprightness יֹ֫שֶׁריָרֵא[is one] fe[is one] fearinיָרֵאיהוהYahwehYahwehיהוהלוּזand [the] [and [the] [one לוּזדֶּ֫רֶךְways hisways hisדֶּ֫רֶךְבָזָה[is] despis[is] despising בָזָהיָשַׁרto smoothto smoothיָשַׁריָרֵאto fearto fearיָרֵאהָיָהto beto beהָיָהדָּרַךְto treadto treadדָּרַךְהָלַךְto walkto walkהָלַךְלָוָהto jointo joinלָוָהלוּטto wrapto wrapלוּטדֶּ֫רֶךְway: roadway: roadדֶּ֫רֶךְחֻקָּהstatutestatuteחֻקָּהתֹּםintegrityintegrityתֹּםאֹמֶרwordwordאֹמֶרתָּםcompletecompleteתָּםיָשָׁרJasharJasharיָשָׁרנְאֻםutteranceutteranceנְאֻםצָבָאarmyarmyצָבָאאַלnotnotאַלעַ֫יִןeyeeyeעַ֫יִןפָּנָהCorner (GaCorner (Gate)פָּנָה
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 14:2

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.

[one who] walks in uprightness his [is one] fearing Yahweh and [the] [one who] is crooked of ways his [is] despising him
הוֹלֵ֣ךְho.Lekh [one who] walks H1980 Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
1,549× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means to walk or go, used in many different contexts in the Bible. It can describe physical movement, but also spiritual or emotional journeys. Appears in various forms, such as 'to go' or 'to walk'.
Amplified meaning
goes, travels
Tyndale gloss
to go: walk
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הָלַךְ (halak) means 'to go,' 'come,' or 'walk,' and covers a wide range of literal and figurative uses, including aspects of life and death. It can describe physical movement, moral conduct, and even influence on character. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal, Piel, and Hithpael, indicating different nuances like leading or traversing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָלַךְ 1546 vb. go, come, walk

Qal Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך

lit.

of persons

Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations

in like manner of inanimate things

The inf. abs. is often used

as in other vbs., quite independently

to intensify meaning of finite form

most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs.

with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance

with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)

in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. adj. denoting progress, advance

twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion

quite by itself

13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.

akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.

In combination with other verbal forms

Fig.; the most common uses follow; in most the origin in a literal meaning is evident:

pass away, die

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1980 הָלַךְ go, come, walk .Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך . lit. . of persons

. Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations

. in like manner of inanimate things

. The inf. abs. is often used . as in other vbs., quite independently

. to intensify meaning of finite form

. most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs. . with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance

. with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)

. in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. + adj. denoting progress, advance

. twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion

. quite by itself

. 13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.

. akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.

. In combination with other verbal forms

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1980 halak haw-lak'

akin to 3212; a primitive root; to walk (in a great variety

of applications, literally and figuratively):--(all) along,

apace, behave (self), come, (on) continually, be conversant,

depart, + be eased, enter, exercise (self), + follow, forth,

forward, get, go (about, abroad, along, away, forward, on,

out, up and down), + greater, grow, be wont to haunt, lead,

march, X more and more, move (self), needs, on, pass (away),

be at the point, quite, run (along), + send, speedily, spread,

still, surely, + tale-bearer, + travel(-ler), walk (abroad,

on, to and fro, up and down, to places), wander, wax,

(way-)faring man, X be weak, whirl.

see HEBREW for 03212

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: went.

: went/go[away]

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

1c2) to walk about

1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: come.

: come[nearer]

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

1c2) to walk about

1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: walk.

: walk/move

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
HVqrmsa
[one who] walks in uprightness his [is one] fearing Yahweh and [the] [one who] is crooked of ways his [is] despising him
בְּ֭יָשְׁרוֹbe.ya.she.ro in uprightness his H3476 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
14× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Uprightness means being morally straight and even, like doing what is right and fair. It appears in books like Proverbs and Isaiah, guiding people to live with integrity. God values uprightness, as seen in Psalm 92:15.
Amplified meaning
morally straight, righteous living
Tyndale gloss
uprightness
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word יֹ֫שֶׁר (*yosher*) refers to concepts of straightness and uprightness, encompassing moral implications of rightness and what is due. It is derived from a root meaning to be straight. The entries consistently highlight its application to both physical paths and ethical conduct.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יֹ֫שֶׁר n.m. straightness, uprightness

straightness, evenness, of paths

rightness, uprightness

what is due, right

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3476 יֹ֫שֶׁר straightness, uprightness . straightness, evenness, of paths

. rightness, uprightness

. what is due, right

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3476 yosher yo'-sher

from 3474; the right:--equity, meet, right, upright(-ness).

see HEBREW for 03474

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יֹ֫שֶׁר (yo.sher) — uprightness.

1) straightness, uprightness

1a) straightness, evenness (moral implications)

1b) rightness, uprightness

1c) what is right, what is due

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hiz: Used often in the King James Version with reference to a neuter or inanimate thing, or to a lower animal (Ge 1:11, "after his kind"; Le 1:16, "pluck away his crop"; Ac 12:10, "of his own accord"; 1Co 15:38, "his own body"), etc. the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "its."

[one who] walks in uprightness his [is one] fearing Yahweh and [the] [one who] is crooked of ways his [is] despising him
יְרֵ֣אye.Re' [is one] fearing H3373 Adj
64× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word describes someone who is afraid or fearful, and is also used to convey a sense of reverence or respect. It's often translated as 'afraid' in the KJV. In the Bible, it's used to describe people's reactions to God or scary situations.
Amplified meaning
reveres, has awe for
Tyndale gloss
afraid
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָרֵא (yare') is an adjective and verb derived from the root יָרֵא (H3372), meaning 'to fear.' It encompasses meanings such as 'afraid' and 'reverent.' The entries indicate a moral aspect to fear, suggesting a sense of reverence alongside being fearful.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָרֵא adj. verb. v. supr. [j.df.aa] Pt.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3373 יָרֵא adj. verb. v. supr. [3372] Pt.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3373 yare' yaw-ray'

from 3372; fearing; morally, reverent:--afraid, fear (-ful).

see HEBREW for 03372

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָרֵא (ya.re) — afraid.

fearing, reverent, afraid

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAamsc
[one who] walks in uprightness his [is one] fearing Yahweh and [the] [one who] is crooked of ways his [is] despising him
יְהוָ֑הYah.weh Yahweh H3068 Noun proper
6,528× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Yehovah is another name for God, often translated as 'the Lord'. It is a national name for God in the Jewish faith. This name is used throughout the Old Testament.
Amplified meaning
Yehovah, the Almighty God
Tyndale gloss
The Lord
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)

יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb

יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D

the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy

יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'

from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish

national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.

see HEBREW for 01961

see HEBREW for 03050

see HEBREW for 03069

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.

Jehovah = "the existing One"

1) the proper name of the one true God

1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.

Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.

Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpt
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
[one who] walks in uprightness his [is one] fearing Yahweh and [the] [one who] is crooked of ways his [is] despising him
וּנְל֖וֹזu.ne.Loz and [the] [one who] is crooked of H3868 Conjunction · verb niphal participle (active) masculine singular common
6× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to turn aside or be perverse, like departing from what is right. It appears in the Bible to describe someone who goes against God's ways. In the KJV, it is translated as depart, froward, or perverse.
Amplified meaning
perverse, twisted
Tyndale gloss
be devious
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לוּז (luwz) is a Hebrew verb meaning to turn aside or depart. It can describe both a literal departure and a figurative sense of being devious or perverse. The word appears primarily in poetic contexts, often emphasizing the importance of not straying from wisdom or guidance.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[לוּז] vb. (poet., mostly WsdLt) turn aside, depart

Qal let them not (i.e. sound wisdom) depart from thine eyes

Niph. fig., devious, crooked

Hiph. let them [my words] not depart from thine eyes (strictly, let them not practice, exhibit, deviation)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3868 [לוּז] (poet., mostly WsdLt) turn aside, depart .let them not (i.e. sound wisdom) depart from thine eyes

. fig., devious, crooked

. let them [my words] not depart from thine eyes (strictly, let them not practice, exhibit, deviation)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3868 luwz looz

a primitive root; to turn aside (compare 3867, 3874 and

3885), i.e. (literally) to depart, (figuratively) be

perverse:--depart, froward, perverse(-ness).

see HEBREW for 03867

see HEBREW for 03874

see HEBREW for 03885

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לוּז (luz) — be devious.

1) to depart, turn aside

1a) (Qal) to depart

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to go wrong, go crooked

1b2) devious, perverse (participle)

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to be lost from view

1c2) to become devious

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Niphal — Conjunction · verb niphal participle (active) masculine singular common
HC/VNrmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
[one who] walks in uprightness his [is one] fearing Yahweh and [the] [one who] is crooked of ways his [is] despising him
דְּרָכָ֣יוde.ra.Khav ways his H1870 Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
708× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Derek refers to a road or path, and can also mean a way of life or manner of action. It is often used to describe a journey or direction, and can be used figuratively to describe a person's character or moral path.
Amplified meaning
path, manner of life
Tyndale gloss
way: road
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (derek) means way, road, or journey, and can refer to both literal paths and figurative courses of life or actions. It encompasses various aspects such as direction, manner, and moral character, often highlighting the nature of one's conduct. The term is used in both positive and negative contexts, reflecting the moral implications of one's path.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

דֶּ֫רֶךְ 715 n.m. way, road, distance, journey, manner

way, road, path

journey

of direction, almost or quite = toward

way, manner

fig. of course of life, or action, undertakings

of moral action and character

of duty

specif.: in good sense

oftener in bad sense

way of י׳

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1870 דֶּ֫רֶךְ way, road, distance, journey, manner . way, road, path

. journey

. of direction, almost or quite = toward

. way, manner

. fig. of course of life, or action, undertakings

. . of moral action and character

. of duty

. specif.: in good sense

. oftener in bad sense

. way of י׳

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1870 derek deh'-rek

from 1869; a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of

life or mode of action, often adverb:--along, away, because

of, + by, conversation, custom, (east-)ward, journey, manner,

passenger, through, toward, (high-) (path-)way(-side),

whither(-soever).

see HEBREW for 01869

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — way: conduct.

: conduct/lifestyle

1) way, road, distance, journey, manner

1a) road, way, path

1b) journey

1c) direction

1d) manner, habit, way

1e) of course of life (fig.)

1f) of moral character (fig.)

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — Way.

This name means way, road

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — (King's) Highway.

This name means way, road

Combined with me.lekh (מֶ֫לֶךְ "King's" H4428I)

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — way: direction.

: direction

1) way, road, distance, journey, manner

1a) road, way, path

1b) journey

1c) direction

1d) manner, habit, way

1e) of course of life (fig.)

1f) of moral character (fig.)

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — way: road.

: road/route

1) way, road, distance, journey, manner

1a) road, way, path

1b) journey

1c) direction

1d) manner, habit, way

1e) of course of life (fig.)

1f) of moral character (fig.)

דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — way: journey.

: journey

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HNcmpc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hiz: Used often in the King James Version with reference to a neuter or inanimate thing, or to a lower animal (Ge 1:11, "after his kind"; Le 1:16, "pluck away his crop"; Ac 12:10, "of his own accord"; 1Co 15:38, "his own body"), etc. the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "its."

[one who] walks in uprightness his [is one] fearing Yahweh and [the] [one who] is crooked of ways his [is] despising him
בּוֹזֵֽהוּ׃bo.Ze.hu [is] despising him H959 Verb qal participle (active) masculine singular common · suffix
44× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To despise or hold in contempt, as seen in Proverbs where it warns against despising wisdom. It can also mean to be despised or worthless, as in the case of a vile person.
Amplified meaning
holds in contempt, disregards
Tyndale gloss
to despise
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בָזָה (bazah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to despise or hold in contempt. It can be used in different forms: Qal for direct action, Niphal for being despised, and Hiphil for causing someone to despise. The entries emphasize a sense of disdain and worthlessness associated with the term.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בָזָה vb. despise

Qal despise, regard with contempt

Niph.

despised

vile, worthless

despicable, contemptible

Hiph. so as to cause to despise their lords

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H959 בָזָה despise

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

959 bazah baw-zaw'

a primitive root; to disesteem:--despise, disdain,

contemn(-ptible), + think to scorn, vile person.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בָּזָה (ba.zah) — to despise.

1) to despise, hold in contempt, disdain

1a) (Qal) to despise, regard with contempt

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be despised

1b2) to be despicable

1b3) to be vile, worthless

1c) (Hiphil) to cause to despise

Also means: ba.zoh (בָּזֹה "to despise" H0960)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal | Suff — Verb qal participle (active) masculine singular common · suffix
HVqrmsc/Sp3ms
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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