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Proverbs 19:27 — Word Study

Depth

WLCחַֽדַל־ בְּ֭נִי לִשְׁמֹ֣עַ מוּסָ֑ר לִ֝שְׁג֗וֹת מֵֽאִמְרֵי־ דָֽעַת׃

BSAIf you ceasechâdal [stop, cease completely] to hearshâmaʻ [listen and obey, give attention to] instructionmûwçâr [discipline, correction, guidance] my sonbên [descendant, child] you will strayshâgâh [wander, go astray, err] from the wordsʼêmer [sayings, teachings, promises] of knowledgedaʻath [understanding, wisdom, insight]

Word
Listen & take awayProverbs 19
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 27 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 (Da.'at) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Proverbs 19:27quick helps
In a sentenceThe verse warns that ignoring instruction leads to straying from wisdom.
Who is speakingA father addressing his son, giving him guidance.
Where we areIn a series of proverbs emphasizing the value of wisdom and discipline.
The hard wordחַֽדַל־
Take awayListening to instruction is crucial for staying on the path of knowledge.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbבֵּן 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 19:27

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

Context — Wisdom and Instruction in Proverbsgenerated

26He who assaults his father or evicts his mother is a son who brings shame and disgrace.
27If you cease to hear instruction, my son, you will stray from the words of knowledge.
28A corrupt witness mocks justice, and a wicked mouth swallows iniquity.
29Judgments are prepared for mockers, and beatings for the backs of fools.

Proverbs 19:27 emphasizes the importance of heeding instruction and the consequences of neglecting it. The surrounding verses highlight the value of wisdom and the dangers of straying from sound teaching, which is a recurring theme throughout the book of Proverbs.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Proverbs 14:7Stay away from a foolish man; you will gain no knowledge from his speech.
2Deuteronomy 13:1–4If a prophet or dreamer of dreams arises among you and proclaims a sign or wonder to you,
31 Kings 22:22–28And he replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’ ‘You will surely entice him and prevail,’ said the LORD. ‘Go and do it.’
4Matthew 7:15Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
5Matthew 16:6–12“Watch out!” Jesus told them. “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 16 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word חַֽדַל־, cha.dal-generated

The verb חָדַל (chadal) means to cease or stop, indicating a complete halt in action. It is a Qal imperative, addressing the son directly and urging him to pay attention to the importance of listening.

In this context, ceasing to hear instruction signifies a deliberate choice to ignore guidance, which can lead to wandering away from wisdom. The imperative form emphasizes the urgency of the command.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses cease for חַֽדַל־.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb חַֽדַל־, cease, governs the entire verse, with a series of phrases that describe the consequences of this action. The structure emphasizes the relationship between listening and the resulting wisdom.

The sentence is constructed with a main clause followed by a subordinate clause that details what happens if the instruction is ignored, creating a clear cause-and-effect relationship.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the Hebrew word חַֽדַל־ is rendered as φυλάχαι, which suggests a focus on the act of guarding or keeping, indicating a slightly different nuance in the Greek translation.

This choice reflects an interpretation that emphasizes the importance of safeguarding wisdom and instruction, rather than merely stopping the act of listening.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Proverbs 19:27 warns that if you stop listening to instruction, you will wander away from wisdom. This verse highlights the importance of paying attention to guidance to avoid making mistakes.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to cease hearing instruction?

Ceasing to hear instruction means ignoring or not paying attention to guidance that leads to wisdom.

Why is listening to instruction important?

Listening to instruction is important because it helps you gain knowledge and avoid straying from the right path.

What are the consequences of straying from knowledge?

Straying from knowledge can lead to poor decisions and moral mistakes.

How can I ensure I am listening to instruction?

You can ensure you are listening by actively seeking guidance, reflecting on teachings, and applying them in your life.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what areas of my life do I need to pay more attention to instruction?
  2. What are some practical ways I can seek wisdom and guidance?
  3. How can ignoring advice lead me away from knowledge?
  4. What steps can I take to ensure I remain open to learning?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Proverbs 19:27 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Cease, my son, to hear the instruction,.... The counsel of bad men, or the doctrine of false teachers.

Read John Gill on Proverbs 19 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge.

Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 19 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

If thou hast formerly, yet do not now any longer hearken to those false doctrines or evil counsels which tend to withdraw thee from the belief or practice of God’ s holy word.

Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 19 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Proverbs 19:27 Cease, my son, to hear the instruction [that causeth] to err from the words of knowledge.Ver. 27. Cease, my son, to hear the instruction.] "Beware of false prophets." Take heed also what books ye read; for as water relisheth of the soil it runs through, so doth the soul of the authors that a man readeth.

Read John Trapp on Proverbs 19 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(27) Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err . . .—Or the passage may mean, Cease to hear instruction if you are only going to err afterwards—Make up your mind what you are intending to do hereafter, and act now accordingly; better not know the truth than learn it only to desert it. (Comp. 2 Peter 2:21.)

Read Charles John Ellicott on Proverbs 19 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 27. Cease, my son] Hear nothing that would lead thee away from God and his truth.

Read AdamClarke on Proverbs 19 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

27. That causeth to err] The Heb. is simply, Cease to hear instruction to err. This may mean either, with A.V., Do not listen to instruction which if you follow it will lead you astray; or better, with R.V., Do not listen to (good) instruction, only to neglect it, and err in spite of it. Comp. James 1:22; Matthew 7:26-27.

Read Cambridge on Proverbs 19 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

literally, Cease, my son, to hear instruction, that thou mayest err from the words of knowledge; advice given ironically to do that to which his weakness leads him, with a clear knowledge of the evil to which he is drifting.

Read Albert Barnes on Proverbs 19 →

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

If you cease to hear instruction, my son, you will stray from the words of knowledge.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

If you stop listening to instruction, my son, you will stray from the words of knowledge.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

If you cease to hear instruction, my son, you will stray from the words of knowledge.

NETBNew English Translation2006

If you stop listening to instruction, my child, you will stray from the words of knowledge.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Cease, my son, to hear instruction Only to err from the words of knowledge.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Cease, my son, to hear instruction only to err from the words of knowledge.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

My sonne, heare no more the instruction, that causeth to erre from ye words of knowledge.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Cease, my son, to hear the instruction which causeth to stray from the words of knowledge.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Cease, my son, to hear instruction — To err from sayings of knowledge.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Cease, my son, to hear instruction—To err from sayings of knowledge.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth [thee] to err from the sayings of knowledge.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

If you cease to hear instruction, my son, you will stray from the words of knowledge.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Cease not, O my son, to hear instruction, and be not ignorant of the words of knowledge.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

My son, stop listening to my instruction and you'll soon give up following wisdom.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

A son who no longer gives attention to teaching is turned away from the words of knowledge.

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.

clauseclausenoun phraseבְּ֭נִmy.sonיmyclauseverbחַֽדַלceaseprepositional phrase · prepositionalלִtoclauseverbשְׁמֹ֣עַlisten.toobjectמוּסָ֑רcorrectionprepositional phrase · prepositionalלִ֝toclauseverbשְׁג֗וֹתstrayprepositional phrase · prepositionalמֵֽfromnoun phraseאִמְרֵיwordsדָֽעַתof.knowledge

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, with six out of seven words matching. The Septuagint's word order and articles differ, but the core message remains consistent between the two texts.

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

חַֽדַל־ בְּ֭נִי לִשְׁמֹ֣עַ מוּסָ֑ר לִ֝שְׁג֗וֹת מֵֽאִמְרֵי־ דָֽעַת׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
חַֽדַל־υἱὸςלִשְׁמֹ֣עַφυλάχαιמוּסָ֑רπαιδείανלִ֝שְׁג֗וֹתμελετήσειמֵֽאִמְרֵי־ῥήσειςדָֽעַת׃κακάς

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 19:27חָדַלceaseceaseחָדַלבֵּןO son myO son myבֵּןשָׁמַעto listen tto listen toשָׁמַעמוּסָרcorrectioncorrectionמוּסָרשָׁגָהto strayto strayשָׁגָהאֹמֶרfrom words from words ofאֹמֶרדַּ֫עַתknowledgeknowledgeדַּ֫עַתבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהיָסַרto disciplto disciplineיָסַראָמַרto sayto sayאָמַריָדַעto knowto knowיָדַעגִּלְעָד(Mount) Gi(Mount) GileadגִּלְעָדעַמּוֹןAmmonAmmonעַמּוֹןרְאוּבֵןReubenReubenרְאוּבֵןקוֹלvoice: souvoice: soundקוֹלקָשַׁבto listento listenקָשַׁבתּוֹכֵחָהrebukerebukeתּוֹכֵחָהאֱוִילfool(ish)fool(ish)אֱוִילשֵׁכָרstrong dristrong drinkשֵׁכָרתָּעָהto go astrto go astrayתָּעָהצָפַןto treasurto treasureצָפַןבְּלִיwithoutwithoutבְּלִיחָכְמָהwisdomwisdomחָכְמָה
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 19:27

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.

cease O son my to listen to correction to stray from words of knowledge
חַֽדַל־cha.dal- cease H2308 Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine singular
58× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To cease means to stop or end something, like when God told the Israelites to cease work on the Sabbath in Exodus 20:10. It can also mean to be idle or lacking. In the Bible, it is often used to describe a change in action or behavior.
Amplified meaning
stop, cease completely
Tyndale gloss
to cease
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חָדַל (chadal) is a Hebrew verb meaning to cease or come to an end. It conveys the idea of stopping, leaving off, or forgoing something. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, including the Qal stem, which indicates simple action. There is a specific note in the Hophil form suggesting a passive sense of being made to leave.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חָדַל vb. cease

Qal

cease, come to an end

cease, leave off

Hoph. should I be made to leave

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2308 חָדַל cease .. cease, come to an end

. cease, leave off

. should I be made to leave

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2308 chadal khaw-dal'

a primitive root; properly, to be flabby, i.e. (by

implication) desist; (figuratively) be lacking or

idle:--cease, end, fall, forbear, forsake, leave (off), let

alone, rest, be unoccupied, want.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָדַל (cha.dal) — to cease.

1) to stop, cease, desist, forego, cease to be, leave undone, forbear

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to cease, come to an end

1a2) to cease, leave off

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Impv-2ms — Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine singular
HVqv2ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ses: A remarkable array of 20 Hebrew and 6 Greek words is so translated. In the King James Version 15 of the former and 3 of the latter are used only once with this rendering. The originals most frequently in use are chadhal, "to leave off"; shabhath "to rest from" (labor); pauomai, "to make to cease." Few words illustrate better the fertility of the Hebrew in expressing limitless shades of meaning, impoverished by the use of one English word. This extensive variety is, however, well expressed by "cease": i.e. stop, come to an end, e.g. ceasing of tears (Jer 14:17); work (Ezr 4:24); grinders (Ec 12:3); thunder (Ex 9:29); the wicked (

cease O son my to listen to correction to stray from words of knowledge
בְּ֭נִיBe.ni O son my H1121 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
4,943× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means a son or descendant, and can also refer to a grandson, nation, or quality. It appears in 1 Chronicles 24, describing a Levite named Beno. The word is used to show family relationships and inheritance.
Amplified meaning
descendant, child
Tyndale gloss
son: child
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בֵּן (ben) means 'son' or 'male child' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including descendants, young animals, and even figurative uses like sparks or arrows. It can refer to members of a tribe or class and is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, such as in 1 Chronicles 24:26. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and implies a connection to family or lineage.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֵּן 4870 n.m. son

son, male child, born of a woman

children (male and female)

youth, young men

the young of animals

of plant shoots

fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

member of a guild, order or class

of animals son of (the) herd

ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

n. relat. of age

base

בְּנוֹ 1 Ch 24:26, 27 as n.pr.m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son, cf. VB & Be Öt.

done

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1121a בֵּן son . son, male child, born of a woman

. children (male and female)

. youth, young men

. the young of animals

. of plant shoots

. fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

. . member of a guild, order or class

. of animals son of (the) herd

. ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

. n. relat. of age

H1121b בְּנוֹ as n. pr. m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1121 ben bane

from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the

widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship,

including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition,

etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-)

(Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to,

(+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born,

bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X

came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of

first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, +

kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+)

people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, +

spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous

one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.

see HEBREW for 01129

see HEBREW for 01

see HEBREW for 0251

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֵּן (ben) — son: child.

: child/son

בְּנוֹ (be.no) — Beno.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.24.26;

son of: Jaaziah (H3269);

brother of: Shoham (H7719), Zaccur (H2139I) and Ibri (H5681)

§ Beno = "his son"

the sons of Jaaziah and the sons of Merari by Jaahziah (his son)

בֵּן (ben) — son: descendant/people.

: descendant, people, tribe, nation

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : child/son

בֵּן (ben) — son: young animal.

: calf/lamb/young(ANIMAL)

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : descendant

בֵּן (ben) — son: type of.

: rebel/son(Belial)

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : people/men/nation/tribe

בֵּן (ben) — son.

: [inheriting]son/heir

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

בֵּן (ben) — son: warrior.

: warrior/son(strong)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp1bs
cease O son my to listen to correction to stray from words of knowledge
לִשְׁמֹ֣עַlish.Mo.a' to listen to H8085 Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
1,160× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To hear and listen is what this Hebrew word means, often implying attention and obedience. In Exodus and Deuteronomy, it is used when God speaks to the people, and they must listen and obey.
Amplified meaning
listen and obey, give attention to
Tyndale gloss
to hear: hear
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שָׁמַע (shama`) means 'to hear' and encompasses a range of meanings including listening, obeying, and proclaiming. It is built from a primitive root and can imply attention and understanding. The entries highlight various grammatical forms, such as Qal, Niphal, Piel, and Hiphil, indicating different nuances of hearing and obeying. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁמַע 1152 vb. hear

Qal 1052

subj. pers. hum.

י׳ (God) subj.

Niph. 42 be heard, of voice, sound

be heard of

be regarded, obeyed

= (favourable) hearing was granted to their voice.

Pi. he caused the people to hear

Hiph. 63

of man

י׳ subj.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8085 שָׁמַע hear

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8085 shama` shaw-mah'

a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with

implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to

tell, etc.):--X attentively, call (gather) together, X

carefully, X certainly, consent, consider, be content,

declare, X diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make

to) hear(-ken, tell), X indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be)

obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish,

regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, X surely, tell,

understand, whosoever (heareth), witness.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁמַע (sha.ma) — to hear: hear.

: hear

v

1) to hear, listen to, obey

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to hear (perceive by ear)

1a2) to hear of or concerning

1a3) to hear (have power to hear)

1a4) to hear with attention or interest, listen to

1a5) to understand (language)

1a6) to hear (of judicial cases)

1a7) to listen, give heed

1a7a) to consent, agree

1a7b) to grant request

1a8) to listen to, yield to

1a9) to obey, be obedient

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be heard (of voice or sound)

1b2) to be heard of

1b3) to be regarded, be obeyed

1c) (Piel) to cause to hear, call to hear, summon

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to cause to hear, tell, proclaim, utter a sound

1d2) to sound aloud (musical term)

1d3) to make proclamation, summon

1d4) to cause to be heard

n m

2) sound

שָׁמַע (sha.ma) — to hear: obey.

: obey

v

1) to hear, listen to, obey

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to hear (perceive by ear)

1a2) to hear of or concerning

1a3) to hear (have power to hear)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
HR/Vqcc
cease O son my to listen to correction to stray from words of knowledge
מוּסָ֑רmu.Sar correction H4148 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
50× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew term means discipline or correction, often used to describe God's guidance. In Psalm 50:17, it warns against rejecting God's discipline, while in Proverbs 1:7, it emphasizes the importance of discipline in gaining wisdom. It involves learning from mistakes.
Amplified meaning
discipline, correction, guidance
Tyndale gloss
discipline
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מוּסָר (mūsar) refers to discipline, chastening, and correction, particularly of a moral nature. It encompasses concepts like reproof, warning, and instruction, and can also imply restraint or bonds. The entries consistently highlight its focus on moral and instructional aspects, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מוּסָר n.m. discipline (of the moral nature), chastening, correction

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4148 מוּסָר discipline (of the moral nature), chastening, correction

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4148 muwcar moo-sawr'

from 3256; properly, chastisement; figuratively, reproof,

warning or instruction; also restraint:--bond, chastening

((-eth)), chastisement, check, correction, discipline,

doctrine, instruction, rebuke.

see HEBREW for 03256

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מוּסָר (mu.sar) — discipline.

: discipline/punishment

1) discipline, chastening, correction

1a) discipline, correction

1b) chastening

מוּסָר (mu.sar) — discipline: instruction.

: instruction

1) discipline, chastening, correction

1a) discipline, correction

1b) chastening

מוּסָר (mu.sar) — discipline: bonds.

: bonds/noose

1) discipline, chastening, correction

1a) discipline, correction

1b) chastening

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

ko-rek'-shun (mucar, usually rendered "instruction," is translated "correction" in several passages): The verb from which the noun is derived signifies "to instruct" or "chastise." The idea of chastisement was very closely connected in the Hebrew mind with that of pedagogy. See CHASTISEMENT. the Revised Version (British and American) and the American Standard Revised Version have changed "correction" of the King James Version to "instruction" in Jer 7:28, reversing the order in the margins. shebheT, rendered "rod" in Job 21:9, is unnecessarily changed to "correction" in 37:13. In 2Ti 3:16, epanorthosis, is translated "correction." The difference between correction, discipline and instruction Was not clearly drawn in the Hebrew…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ See AFFLICTION, DESIGN OF

→ See CHASTISEMENT

→ See CHILDREN, CORRECTION OF

→ See PARENTS

→ See PUNISHMENT

→ See SCOURGING

cease O son my to listen to correction to stray from words of knowledge
לִ֝שְׁג֗וֹתlish.Got to stray H7686 Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
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
wander, go astray, err
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
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
HR/Vqcc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Nave's Topical Bible

→ Straying animals to be returned Ex 23:4; De 22:1-3

→ Instance of animals straying, Kish' s 1Sa 9

cease O son my to listen to correction to stray from words of knowledge
מֵֽאִמְרֵי־me.'im.rei- from words of H561 Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct
49× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word refers to a word or speech, like a promise or command from God. It is used in books like Genesis and Exodus to describe God's conversations with people.
Amplified meaning
sayings, teachings, promises
Tyndale gloss
word
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֹמֶר (*'omer*) refers to an utterance, speech, or word, often used in a poetic or exalted context. It is derived from the root meaning 'to say' and encompasses meanings like saying, promise, and command. The entries collectively emphasize its use in elevated language.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֹמֶר n.m. utterance, speech, word, only poet., & exalted style

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H561 אֹמֶר utterance, speech, word, only poet., & exalted style

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

561 'emer ay'-mer

from 559; something said:--answer, X appointed unto him,

saying, speech, word.

see HEBREW for 0559

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵמֶר (e.mer) — word.

utterance, speech, word, saying, promise, command

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-mp — Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct
HR/Ncmpc
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…

cease O son my to listen to correction to stray from words of knowledge
דָֽעַת׃Da.'at knowledge H1847 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
92× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, daath means knowledge or understanding, like when Solomon asked God for wisdom in 1 Kings 3:9. It involves skill and perception, and is often linked to wisdom. This concept appears in the book of Proverbs.
Amplified meaning
understanding, wisdom, insight
Tyndale gloss
knowledge
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

דַּ֫עַת (da`ath) means knowledge, encompassing perception, skill, and moral understanding. It is associated with prophetic knowledge and is noted for its divine aspect, particularly in the context of wisdom literature. The entries highlight its use in various forms of knowledge, including discernment and understanding.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

דַּ֫עַת n.f. knowledge

knowledge, perception

= skill (in workmanship)

of proph. knowledge

esp. knowledge with moral quality

knowledge possessed by God

esp. in Wisd Lt = discernment, understanding, wisdom

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1847 דַּ֫עַת knowledge . . knowledge, perception

. = skill (in workmanship)

. of proph. knowledge

. esp. knowledge with moral quality

. knowledge possessed by God

. esp. in Wisd Lt = discernment, understanding, wisdom

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1847 da`ath dah'-ath

from 3045; knowledge:--cunning, (ig-)norantly, know(-ledge),

(un-)awares (wittingly).

see HEBREW for 03045

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

דַּ֫עַת (da.at) — knowledge.

1) knowledge

1a) knowledge, perception, skill

1b) discernment, understanding, wisdom

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Nave's Topical Bible

→ Of good and evil Ge 2:9,17; 3:22

→ Is power Pr 3:20; 24:5

→ Desire for 1Ki 3:9; Ps 119:66; Pr 2; 3; 12:1; 15:14; 18:15

→ Rejected Ho 4:6

→ Those who reject are destroyed Ho 4:6

→ Fools hate Pr 1:22,29

→ A divine gift 1Co 12:8

→ Is pleasant Pr 2:10

→ Shall be increased Da 12:4

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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