Menu

Proverbs 20:26 — Word Study

Depth

WLCמְזָרֶ֣ה רְ֭שָׁעִים מֶ֣לֶךְ חָכָ֑ם וַיָּ֖שֶׁב עֲלֵיהֶ֣ם אוֹפָֽן׃

BSAA wisechâkâm [intelligent, skilled, prudent] kingmelek [ruler, monarch, leader] separates outzârâh [scatters, winnows, drives away] the wickedrâshâʻ [morally wrong, guilty, sinful] and drivesshûwb the threshing wheelʼôwphân [a device for punishing, a means of judgment] over themʻal [upon, above, against]

Word
Listen & take awayProverbs 20
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 26 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 ('o.Fan) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Proverbs 20:26quick helps
In a sentenceA wise king discerns the wicked and applies judgment against them.
Who is speakingThe author of Proverbs, traditionally attributed to Solomon.
Where we areIn a section discussing the qualities of a wise ruler.
The hard wordמְזָרֶ֣ה
Take awayWisdom in leadership involves separating good from evil.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbזָרָה 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 20:26

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 — Qualities of a Wise Kinggenerated

25It is a trap for a man to dedicate something rashly, only later to reconsider his vows.
26A wise king separates out the wicked and drives the threshing wheel over them.
27The spirit of a man is the lamp of the LORD, searching out his inmost being.
28Loving devotion and faithfulness preserve a king; by these he maintains his throne.

Proverbs 20:26 presents a wise king who actively separates the wicked from the righteous, employing judgment as a means of governance. This verse emphasizes the role of discernment in leadership, illustrating how a ruler must manage moral integrity within their realm. The surrounding verses further explore the themes of vows and the spirit's role in understanding one's true nature, reinforcing the importance of wisdom in decision-making.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Proverbs 20:8A king who sits on a throne to judge sifts out all evil with his eyes.
22 Samuel 4:9–12But David answered Rechab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, “As surely as the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from all distress,
3Psalm 101:5–8Whoever slanders his neighbor in secret, I will put to silence; the one with haughty eyes and a proud heart, I will not endure.
42 Samuel 12:31David brought out the people who were there and put them to work with saws, iron picks, and axes, and he made them work at the brick kilns. He did the same to all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all his troops returned to Jerusalem.
5Isaiah 28:27–28Surely caraway is not threshed with a sledge, and the wheel of a cart is not rolled over the cumin. But caraway is beaten out with a stick, and cumin with a rod.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 5 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word מְזָרֶ֣ה, me.za.Rehgenerated

The verb זָרָה (zarah) means to scatter or winnow, indicating an action of separation or judgment. In this verse, it conveys the idea of a king actively distinguishing the wicked from the righteous, which is essential for maintaining justice and order.

The active participle form suggests ongoing action, implying that a wise king continually engages in this discerning process. This reflects the king's responsibility to uphold moral standards and ensure that justice prevails.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The translations agree in their rendering of the verse, consistently depicting the wise king's action of separating the wicked and applying judgment.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb is מְזָרֶ֣ה (he separates), which governs the action of the subject, מֶ֣לֶךְ (a king). The structure emphasizes the king's role as the active agent in the separation of the wicked.

The second verb, וַיָּ֖שֶׁב (and he brought back), connects to the prepositional phrase עֲלֵיהֶ֣ם (over them), indicating the means of judgment applied to the wicked.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates מְזָרֶ֣ה as λικμήτωρ, which carries the connotation of a separator or one who winnows. This choice suggests a focus on the act of discernment and judgment inherent in the role of a ruler.

The Greek term emphasizes the action of separating, aligning with the Hebrew meaning while also reflecting a broader interpretation of the king's responsibility.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Proverbs 20:26 tells us that a wise king knows how to separate the wicked from the good and applies judgment against them. This verse highlights the importance of discernment in leadership and the role of a king in maintaining justice.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean for a king to separate the wicked?

It means that the king actively discerns between good and evil, ensuring that justice is served and the wicked are held accountable.

How does this verse relate to the qualities of leadership?

This verse illustrates that wisdom in leadership involves moral discernment and the ability to make difficult judgments for the good of the people.

What is the significance of the threshing wheel in this context?

The threshing wheel symbolizes judgment and punishment, indicating the seriousness of the king's role in dealing with the wicked.

How can we apply this wisdom in our own lives?

We can strive to discern right from wrong in our decisions and actions, promoting justice and integrity in our relationships and communities.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What qualities do you think are essential for a wise leader?
  2. How can discernment play a role in your daily decisions?
  3. In what ways can you promote justice in your community?
  4. What challenges might a leader face when separating the wicked from the good?

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

Early commentators, such as Bede, reference this verse to discuss the qualities of a wise king and the importance of justice in leadership.

BedeCommentary on Proverbs c. 673–735
A wise king scatters the wicked, etc. It was the custom of the ancients, when victory was achieved over an enemy, to erect arches for themselves in which they described the praises of their virtues, as we read in the work of Saul.
Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 20 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Proverbs 20:26 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

A wise king scattereth the wicked,.... Or "fans [them] away" (i); separates them from his good counsellors, courtiers, and subjects; scatters them from his presence and court, and breaks their

Read John Gill on Proverbs 20 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them. A wise king scattereth the wicked - like chaff before the wind (Proverbs 20:8).

Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 20 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

A wise king, who seriously minds his duty and his true interest, scattereth the wicked; breaks their companies and confederacies, and forceth them to flee several ways for their own safety; driveth them from his presence, and from the society of honest men, as the chaff is by the husbandman separated from the corn, and driven away by the wind, of which this Hebrew word is commonly used, and to which the next clause hath some reference. Bringeth the wheel over them, as the cart-wheel was anciently turned over the sheaves to beat the corn out of them, ,28. He punisheth them severely, as their offences deserve. This or such-like punishments were not unusual among the Eastern nations, as we may…

Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 20 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Proverbs 20:26 A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.Ver. 26. A wise king scattereth the wicked.] Drains the country of them by his just severity, yet with due discretion, as appears by the latter words, "and bringeth the wheel over them," compared with Isaiah 28:27-28. The Turks’ justice will rather cut off two innocent men, than let one offender escape. The Venetians punish with death whosoever shall misappropiated a penny of the public money to his own private profit. Durescite, durescite, o infaelix Lantgravic, said the poor smith to the Landgrave of Thuring, that was more mild than was for his people’ s good. The sword of justice must, I confess, be…

Read John Trapp on Proverbs 20 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(26) A wise king scattereth the wicked.—Rather, winnows them. And bringeth the wheel over them.—Comp. Isaiah 28:27. A sort of sledge or cart was driven over the stalks of corn spread upon the threshing-floor, by means of which the grain was separated from the husk. A wise king winnows out evil persons from among his people, thus putting an end to their corrupting influence. (Comp. Matthew 3:12.)

Read Charles John Ellicott on Proverbs 20 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 26. Bringeth the wheel over them.] He threshes them in his anger, as the wheel does the grain on the threshing-floor. Every one knows that grain was separated from its husks, in Palestine, by the feet of the oxen trampling among the sheaves, or bringing a rough-shod wheel over them. Asiatic kings often threshed their people, to bring out their property; but this is not what is intended here.

Read AdamClarke on Proverbs 20 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

26. scattereth] Rather, winnoweth. λικμήτωρἀσεβῶνβασιλεὺςσοφὸς, LXX. the wheel] sc. of his threshing wain. Comp. Isaiah 28:27. He executes righteous judgement upon them, Psalms 62:4; Romans 13:4.

Read Cambridge on Proverbs 20 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The wheel - The threshing wheel Isaiah 28:27-28, which passes over the grain and separates the grain from the chaff.

Read Albert Barnes on Proverbs 20 →

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

A wise king separates out the wicked and drives the threshing wheel over them.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

A wise king winnows out the wicked, and drives the threshing wheel over them.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

A wise king separates out the wicked and drives the threshing wheel over them.

NETBNew English Translation2006

A wise king separates out the wicked; he turns the threshing wheel over them.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

A wise king winnoweth the wicked, And bringeth the threshing-wheel over them.

RVARevised Version, American1894

A wise king winnoweth the wicked, and bringeth the threshing wheel over them.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

A wise king scatterreth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

A wise King scattereth the wicked, and causeth the wheele to turne ouer them.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

A wise king is scattering the wicked, And turneth back on them the wheel.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

A wise king is scattering the wicked, || And turns the wheel back on them.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

A wise king scattereth the wicked, and turneth over them the threshing-wheel.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

A wise king winnows the wicked and he turns a threshing wheel over them.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth over them the wheel.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

A wise king separates out the wicked by winnowing and punishes them by threshing.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

A wise king puts evil-doers to flight, and makes their evil-doing come back on them.

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.

clauseverbמְזָרֶ֣ה[is].winnowingobjectרְ֭שָׁעִיםwicked.[people]noun phrase · subjectמֶ֣לֶךְa.kingחָכָ֑םwiseוַandclauseverbיָּ֖שֶׁבhe.brought.backprepositional phrase · prepositionalעֲלֵיoverהֶ֣םthemobjectאוֹפָֽןa.wheel

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 agree on the wording of Proverbs 20:26, with all seven words matched. This consistency indicates a shared understanding of the verse's meaning across these texts.

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

מְזָרֶ֣ה רְ֭שָׁעִים מֶ֣לֶךְ חָכָ֑ם וַיָּ֖שֶׁב עֲלֵיהֶ֣ם אוֹפָֽן׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
מְזָרֶ֣הλικμήτωρרְ֭שָׁעִיםἀσεβῶνמֶ֣לֶךְβασιλεὺςחָכָ֑םσοφὸςוַיָּ֖שֶׁבἐπιβαλεῖעֲלֵיהֶ֣םαὐτοῖςאוֹפָֽן׃τροξόν

7 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 20:26זָרָה[is] winnow[is] winnowingזָרָהרָשָׁעwicked [peowicked [people]רָשָׁעמֶ֫לֶךְa kinga kingמֶ֫לֶךְחָכָםwisewiseחָכָםשׁוּבand he brouand he brought שׁוּבעַלover themover themעַלאוֹפַןa wheela wheelאוֹפַןרָשַׁעbe wickedbe wickedרָשַׁעמָלַךְto reignto reignמָלַךְחָכַםbe wisebe wiseחָכַםזוּרbe a stranbe a strangerזוּרעַלheightheightעַלרִיקto emptyto emptyרִיקפּוּץto scatterto scatterפּוּץצַדִּיקrighteousrighteousצַדִּיקאָבַדto perishto perishאָבַדנְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּרNebuchadneNebuchadnezzarנְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּראַשּׁוּרAsshurAsshurאַשּׁוּרכְּסִילfoolfoolכְּסִילדַּ֫עַתknowledgeknowledgeדַּ֫עַתשְׁבִיתcaptivitycaptivityשְׁבִיתחָרוֹןburning anburning angerחָרוֹןכִּפֶּרto atoneto atoneכִּפֶּרכִּסֵּאthronethroneכִּסֵּאאֵ֫צֶלbesidebesideאֵ֫צֶל
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 20:26

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.

[is] winnowing wicked [people] a king wise and he brought back over them a wheel
מְזָרֶ֣הme.za.Reh [is] winnowing H2219 Verb · Piel · participle (active) masculine singular
39× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew verb means to scatter or toss something about, and can also imply diffusing or winnowing. It is used in various forms throughout the Bible, including the books of Psalms and Isaiah. The word has different meanings based on context, such as casting away or spreading out.
Amplified meaning
scatters, winnows, drives away
Tyndale gloss
to scatter
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זָרָה (zarah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to scatter, fan, or winnow. It encompasses various actions such as tossing about, dispersing, and spreading. The word appears in different forms, including Qal (to scatter), Niphal (to be scattered), and Piel (to intensively scatter). Notably, it is used in contexts like the scattering of the Israelites and the winnowing of grain.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[זָרָה] vb. scatter, fan, winnow (Ar. Arabic cause to fly, scatter (of wind), winnow; Aram. דְּרָא, Syriac; Eth. Ethiopic)—

Qal

scatter, the powder into which the golden calf was ground

fan, winnow

Niph. be scattered, dispersed, of Israel

Pi.

(intens. of Qal) scatter, disperse, esp. of peoples

winnow, sift

Pu. be scattered

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2219 [זָרָה] scatter, fan, winnow

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2219 zarah zaw-raw'

a primitive root (compare 2114); to toss about; by

implication, to diffuse, winnow:--cast away, compass,

disperse, fan, scatter (away), spread, strew, winnow.

see HEBREW for 02114

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זָרָה (za.rah) — to scatter.

1) to scatter, fan, cast away, winnow, disperse, compass, spread, be scattered, be dispersed

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to scatter

1a2) to fan, winnow

1b) (Niphal) to be scattered, be dispersed

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to scatter, disperse (intensive of Qal)

1c2) to winnow, sift

1d) (Pual) to be scattered, be spread out

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Piel — Verb · Piel · participle (active) masculine singular
HVprmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

win'-o-ing.

See AGRICULTURE; FAN; THRESHING.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

[AGRICULTURE]

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Of grain Ru 3:2; Isa 30:24; Mt 3:12

[is] winnowing wicked [people] a king wise and he brought back over them a wheel
רְ֭שָׁעִיםRe.sha.'im wicked [people] H7563 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
263× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word describes someone who is morally wrong, a bad person who is guilty of crime or sin against God or others. It is used to describe the wicked in biblical stories, such as in the book of Genesis.
Amplified meaning
morally wrong, guilty, sinful
Tyndale gloss
wicked
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רָשָׁע (rasha`) refers to someone who is wicked or criminal, encompassing meanings such as guilty and ungodly. It is derived from a root that implies moral wrongdoing. The term is used to describe individuals who are hostile to God or guilty of sin against others.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רָשָׁע 263 adj. wicked, criminal

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7563 רָשָׁע wicked, criminal

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7563 rasha` raw-shaw'

from 7561; morally wrong; concretely, an (actively) bad

person:--+ condemned, guilty, ungodly, wicked (man), that did

wrong.

see HEBREW for 07561

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָשָׁע (ra.sah) — wicked.

1) wicked, criminal

1a) guilty one, one guilty of crime (subst)

1b) wicked (hostile to God)

1c) wicked, guilty of sin (against God or man)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Nave's Topical Bible

→ Compared with

Abominable branches Isa 14:19

Ashes under the feet Mal 4:3

Bad fish Mt 13:48

Animals Ps 49:12; 2Pe 2:12

Blind people Zep 1:17; Mt 15:14

Bronze and iron Jer 6:28; Eze 22:18

Briers add thorns Isa 55:13; Eze 2:6

The bulls of Bashan Ps 22:12

[is] winnowing wicked [people] a king wise and he brought back over them a wheel
מֶ֣לֶךְMe.lekh a king H4428 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
2,526× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a king or royal person, like King David or King Saul. It can also describe something related to a king, like the King's Valley in Genesis. The Bible often uses this word to talk about the rulers of Israel.
Amplified meaning
ruler, monarch, leader
Tyndale gloss
King's
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word מֶ֫לֶךְ (*melek*) means 'king.' It is derived from a root that suggests royalty. The term appears in various contexts, including references to specific kings and locations, such as the 'King's Highway' in Numbers 20:17 and the 'King's Valley' in Genesis 14:17. The lexicons note its Aramaic equivalent and mention its use in the context of individuals like Hammelech in Jeremiah.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מֶ֫לֶךְ 2513 n.m. king

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4428 מֶ֫לֶךְ king

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4428 melek meh'-lek

from 4427; a king:--king, royal.

see HEBREW for 04427

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — king.

1) king

Aramaic equivalent: me.lekh (מֶ֫לֶךְ "king" H4430)

הַמֶּלֶךְ (me.lekh) — `the king`.

'the king' or a name, Hammelech in KJV of Jer.36.26; 38.6- a man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at Jer.36.26;

father of: Jerahmeel (H3396I) and Malchijah (H4441H); also translated "the king";

§ A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at Jer.36.26;

father of: Jerahmeel (H3396I) and Malchijah (H4441H); also translated "the king";

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.

King's (Highway) (Num.20.17)

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.

Another name of she.lach (שֶׁ֫לַח "Shelah" H7975A)

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — Milcom.

Another name of mo.lekh (מֹ֫לֶךְ "Molech" H4432)

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.

King's (Valley) (Gen.14.17)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

King

Is in Scripture very generally used to denote one invested with authority, whether extensive or limited. There were thirty-one kings in Canaan (Josh. 12:9, 24), whom Joshua subdued. Adonibezek subdued seventy kings (Judg. 1:7). In the New Testament the Roman emperor is spoken of as a king (1 Pet. 2:13, 17); and Herod Antipas, who was only a tetrarch, is also called a king (Matt. 14:9; Mark 6:22).

This title is applied to God (1 Tim. 1:17), and to Christ, the Son of God (1 Tim. 6:15, 16;

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Called KING OF KINGS Ezr 7:12; Eze 26:7; Da 2:37

→ Divinely authorized De 17:15; 1Sa 9:16,17; 16:12; 1Ch 22:10; 2Ch 2:11,12; Pr 8:15; Da 2:21,37; 4:17; 5:20; Ho 8:4; 13:11

→ How chosen

By divine appointment, Saul 1Sa 10:1

[is] winnowing wicked [people] a king wise and he brought back over them a wheel
חָכָ֑םcha.Kham wise H2450 Adj
138× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means wise or skilled, describing someone intelligent or crafty, like a cunning man or a prudent leader.
Amplified meaning
intelligent, skilled, prudent
Tyndale gloss
wise
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word חָכָם (*chakam*) means 'wise' and encompasses various aspects of wisdom, including skillfulness in technical work, shrewdness, and ethical understanding. It can refer to a class of learned individuals, including those involved in astrology and magic. The word is derived from a related term, חָכַם (*chakam*), which also relates to intelligence and craftiness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חָכָם adj. wise

skilful in technical work

wise in the administration of affairs

shrewd, crafty, cunning

pl. class of learned and shrewd men, incl. astrologers, magicians and the like

prudent

wise, ethically and religiously

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2450 חָכָם wise . skilful in technical work

. wise in the administration of affairs

. shrewd, crafty, cunning

. pl. class of learned and shrewd men, incl. astrologers, magicians and the like

. prudent

. wise, ethically and religiously

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2450 chakam khaw-kawm'

from 2449; wise, (i.e. intelligent, skilful or

artful):--cunning (man), subtil, ((un-)), wise((hearted),

man).

see HEBREW for 02449

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָכָם (cha.kham) — wise.

1) wise, wise (man)

1a) skilful (in technical work)

1b) wise (in administration)

1c) shrewd, crafty, cunning, wily, subtle

1d) learned, shrewd (class of men)

1e) prudent

1f) wise (ethically and religiously)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAamsa
[is] winnowing wicked [people] a king wise and he brought back over them a wheel
וַיָּ֖שֶׁבvai.Ya.shev and he brought back H7725 Verb · Hiphil · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
1,057× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to return or turn back, and can be used literally or figuratively. It is often used to describe someone returning to God or repenting from sin, as seen in the book of Psalms and the prophets.
Tyndale gloss
to return: return
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שׁוּב (shuwb) means to turn back or return, covering a wide range of contexts including physical, spiritual, and relational. It can denote returning to a previous state, repenting, or even apostatizing. The entries describe various forms and uses, including bringing back, restoring, and refreshing. Notably, it can also imply a change in course of action.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שׁוּב 1056 vb. turn back, return

Qal 683;—turn back, return:

turn back

return, come or go back

esp. return unto

of dying

of revival from death

fig. of human relations:

return to leader, king

= change so as to appoach (in purpose, desire)

turn, i.e. resort to

return to a physical condition

abs. = change course of action

fig., specif. of spiritual relations:

turn back from God = apostatize

of י׳, turn away

turn back to God (= seek penitently)

abs. repent

turn back from evil

of י׳

of י׳, return (to shew favour)

of inanimate things (sts. personified, or treated as things of life):

denoting repetition, etc.

trans.

Pō‛l.

bring back

fig. restore, refresh

restore, repair

lead away (enticingly)

shew turning = apostatize

Hiph. 353 cause to return, bring back

bring back into bondage

put back

= draw back

= give back, restore

= relinguish

= give in payment, requital

bring one back (from dead)

bring back heart

= refresh

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7725 שׁוּב turn back, return .—turn back, return: . turn back

. return, come or go back

. esp. return unto

. . of dying

. of revival from death

. fig. of human relations: . return to leader, king

. = change so as to appoach (in purpose, desire)

. turn, i.e. resort to

. return to a physical condition

. abs. = change course of action

. fig., specif. of spiritual relations: . turn back from God = apostatize

. of י׳, turn away

. turn back to God (= seek penitently)

. abs. repent

. turn back from evil

. of י׳

. of י׳, return (to shew favour)

. of inanimate things (sts. personified, or treated as things of life):

. denoting repetition, etc.

. trans.

. . bring back

. . fig. restore, refresh

. restore, repair

. lead away (enticingly)

. shew turning = apostatize

. cause to return, bring back . . bring back into bondage

. put back

. = draw back

. = give back, restore

. = relinguish

. = give in payment, requital

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7725 shuwb shoob

a primitive root; to turn back (hence, away) transitively or

intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily

with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to

retreat; often adverbial, again:--((break, build, circumcise,

dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge,

make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) X again, (cause to) answer

(+ again), X in any case (wise), X at all, averse, bring

(again, back, home again), call (to mind), carry again (back),

cease, X certainly, come again (back), X consider, +

continually, convert, deliver (again), + deny, draw back,

fetch home again, X fro, get (oneself) (back) again, X give

(again), go again (back, home), (go) out, hinder, let, (see)

more, X needs, be past, X pay, pervert, pull in again, put

(again, up again), recall, recompense, recover, refresh,

relieve, render (again), requite, rescue, restore, retrieve,

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שׁוּב (shuv) — to return: return.

: return

1) to return, turn back

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to turn back, return

1a1a) to turn back

1a1b) to return, come or go back

1a1c) to return unto, go back, come back

1a1d) of dying

1a1e) of human relations (fig)

1a1f) of spiritual relations (fig)

1a1f1) to turn back (from God), apostatise

1a1f2) to turn away (of God)

1a1f3) to turn back (to God), repent

1a1f4) turn back (from evil)

1a1g) of inanimate things

1a1h) in repetition

1b) (Polel)

1b1) to bring back

1b2) to restore, refresh, repair (fig)

1b3) to lead away (enticingly)

1b4) to show turning, apostatise

1c) (Pual) restored (participle)

1d) (Hiphil) to cause to return, bring back

1d1) to bring back, allow to return, put back, draw back, give back, restore, relinquish, give in payment

1d2) to bring back, refresh, restore

1d3) to bring back, report to, answer

1d4) to bring back, make requital, pay (as recompense)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Hiphil · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vhw3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
[is] winnowing wicked [people] a king wise and he brought back over them a wheel
עֲלֵיהֶ֣ם'a.lei.Hem over them H5921 Preposition · suffix
5,774× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Amplified meaning
upon, above, against
Tyndale gloss
upon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

עַל, עָ֑ל

subst. height

As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed

of clothing, etc., which any one wears

With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears

. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5921 `al al

properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the

singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a

particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always

in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great

variety of applications (as follow):--above, according

to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because

of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both

and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in

(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,

through(-out), to, touching, X with.

see HEBREW for 05920

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַל (al) — upon.

prep

1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards

1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)

1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)

1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)

1e) over (of suspension or extension)

1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)

1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)

1h) to (as a dative)

[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.

conj

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Suff — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp3mp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
[is] winnowing wicked [people] a king wise and he brought back over them a wheel
אוֹפָֽן׃'o.Fan a wheel H212 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
35× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Refers to a wheel, like a chariot wheel or the wheels in Ezekiel's vision. It is also used to describe the wheels on the bases beneath the lavers in Solomon's temple, as mentioned in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
a device for punishing, a means of judgment
Tyndale gloss
wheel
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אוֹפַן (o.fan) means 'wheel' and is derived from a root meaning to revolve. It specifically refers to wheels in various contexts, including chariot wheels, the wheels in Ezekiel's vision, and those found in Solomon's temple. The entries consistently emphasize its association with circular objects used for movement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אוֹפַן, אוֹפָן n.m. wheel

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H212 אוֹפַן, אוֹפָן wheel

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

212 'owphan o-fawn'

or (shortened) pophan {o-fawn'}; from an unused root meaning

to revolve; a wheel:--wheel.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אוֹפָן (o.phan) — wheel.

1) wheel

1a) chariot wheel

1b) wheel in Ezekiel's vision

1c) wheels of the ten bases beneath the lavers in Solomon's temple

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

hwel:

(1) 'ophan, is the usual word (Ex 14:25, etc.). In Pr 20:26; Isa 28:27 the rollers of a threshing wagon are meant (see AGRICULTURE).

(2) galgal, "rolling thing," generally in the sense of "wheel" (Isa 5:28, etc.), but the Revised Version (British and American) in Eze 10:2,6,13 has "whirling wheels," an advantageous change. The "wheel .... broken at the cistern" in Ec 12:6 is the windlass for drawing the water, and by the figure the breakdown of the old man's breathing apparatus is probably meant. In Ps…

Wheel

(Heb. galgal; rendered “wheel” in Ps. 83:13, and “a rolling thing” in Isa. 17:13; R.V. in both, “whirling dust”). This word has been supposed to mean the wild artichoke, which assumes the form of a globe, and in autumn breaks away from its roots, and is rolled about by the wind in some places in great numbers.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Ps 83:13, translated "rolling thing" in Isa 17:13. Mr. Thomson, for many years a missionary in Syria, thinks the wild artichoke may here be referred to. This plant sends out numerous stalks or branches of equal length in all directions, forming a globe a foot in diameter. These globes become rigid and light as a feather in autumn, and thousands of them fly rolling and bounding over the plains, the sport of every wind. This "rolling thing" furnishes the modern Arabs with a current proverb and a curse.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Potter' s Jer 18:3

→ FIGURATIVE Pr 20:26; Ec 12:6

→ SYMBOLICAL Eze 1:15-21; 3:13; 10:9-19; 11:22

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.

Everything we make is available for free because of a generous community of supporters.

Donate