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Proverbs 24:16 — Word Study

Depth

WLCכִּ֤י שֶׁ֨בַע׀ יִפּ֣וֹל צַדִּ֣יק וָקָ֑ם וּ֝רְשָׁעִ֗ים יִכָּשְׁל֥וּ בְרָעָֽה׃

BSAFor thoughkîy a righteous [man]tsaddîyq [morally upright, just, a just person, having God's nature] may fallnâphal [stumble, be defeated] seven timesshebaʻ he still gets upqûwm [rises again, stands firm] but the wickedrâshâʻ [morally wrong, guilty] stumblekâshal [fall, are overthrown] in bad [times]raʻ [times of, evil, calamity]

Word
Listen & take awayProverbs 24
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 16 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (ve.ra.'Ah) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Proverbs 24:16quick helps
In a sentenceA righteous person may fall many times but will rise again, while the wicked will stumble in difficult times.
Who is speakingThe author of Proverbs, reflecting on the nature of the righteous and the wicked.
Where we areThis verse is part of a broader discourse on the contrasts between the righteous and the wicked.
The hard wordצַדִּיק
Take awayResilience characterizes the righteous, while the wicked are prone to failure.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectצַדִּיק verbנָפַל 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 24:16

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

Context — The Contrast of the Righteous and the Wickedgenerated

15Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, near the dwelling of the righteous; do not destroy his resting place.
16For though a righteous man may fall seven times, he still gets up; but the wicked stumble in bad times.
17Do not gloat when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart rejoice when he stumbles,
18or the LORD will see and disapprove, and turn His wrath away from him.

Proverbs 24:16 highlights the resilience of a righteous person who, despite falling multiple times, continues to rise, contrasting with the wicked who fail in times of trouble. This verse emphasizes the enduring nature of righteousness and the consequences of wickedness, fitting within the larger themes of Proverbs that explore wisdom, morality, and the outcomes of one's actions.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Job 5:19He will rescue you from six calamities; no harm will touch you in seven.
2Psalm 34:19Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him from them all.
3Psalm 37:24Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed, for the LORD is holding his hand.
4Micah 7:8–10Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will arise; though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light.
52 Corinthians 1:8–10We do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the hardships we encountered in the province of Asia. We were under a burden far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.

The Key Word צַדִּיק, tza.Dikgenerated

The Hebrew word צַדִּיק (tsaddiyq) refers to a person who is just or righteous, embodying moral integrity and uprightness. It is often associated with individuals who are in right standing with God, reflecting His nature in their conduct.

This term encompasses not just legal righteousness but also ethical behavior and moral character. The parsing as an adjective indicates that it describes a state of being, highlighting the qualities that define a righteous person in the biblical context.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

In this study, we focus on the Berean Standard Bible, which uses the term righteous for צַדִּיק.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The verse contains two main clauses connected by a conjunction. The first clause describes the actions of a righteous person, while the second contrasts them with the wicked. The structure emphasizes the resilience of the righteous against the failures of the wicked.

The finite verbs יִפּ֣וֹל (he will fall) and יִכָּשְׁל֥וּ (they will stumble) serve as the focal points of each clause, illustrating the contrasting outcomes for the two groups.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, צַדִּיק is rendered as δίκαιος, which carries a similar connotation of righteousness. This choice reinforces the moral and ethical dimensions associated with being just.

The Greek term for the wicked, ἀσεβεῖς, emphasizes their moral failure, aligning with the Hebrew concept of רָשָׁע.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Proverbs 24:16 teaches that a righteous person may fall many times but will always get back up, while the wicked will stumble in difficult times. This verse highlights the strength and resilience of the righteous compared to the failures of the wicked.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that a righteous man falls seven times?

It signifies that even the most upright individuals face challenges and setbacks, but they have the strength to rise again.

How does this verse contrast the righteous and the wicked?

The righteous are portrayed as resilient, able to recover from failures, while the wicked are depicted as weak and prone to failure during tough times.

What is the significance of the number seven in this context?

The number seven often symbolizes completeness or perfection in the Bible, suggesting that the righteous may face complete trials but still prevail.

How can this verse encourage someone facing difficulties?

It reminds us that falling is a part of life, but resilience and the ability to rise again are key traits of the righteous.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what areas of my life do I need to demonstrate resilience like the righteous person in this verse?
  2. How can I support others who are struggling to get back up after falling?
  3. What does this verse teach me about the nature of righteousness?
  4. How can I apply the principles of this verse in my daily life?

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

Early Church Fathers, such as Augustine of Hippo, reference this verse to discuss the nature of righteousness and the trials faced by the just.

Augustine of HippoCity of God 11.31 354–430
The text, “For a just man shall fall seven times and shall rise again,” means that he will not perish, however often he falls. There is here no question of falling into sins but of afflictions leading to a lower life.
Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 24 →
Augustine of HippoEXPLANATIONS OF THE Psalms 119:162 354–430
The words “falls seven times” are employed to express every kind of tribulation, whereby one is cast down in the sight of people; and the words “rises up again” signify that one profits from all these tribulations.
Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 24 →
Augustine of HippoEXPLANATIONS OF THE Psalms 145:13 354–430
“The just falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked shall be weakened in evils.” When evils befall the wicked, they are weakened by them.
Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 24 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Proverbs 24:16 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

For a just [man] falleth seven times, and riseth up [again],.... This is to be understood of a truly just man; not of one that is only outwardly and seemingly so, or of temporary believers and

Read John Gill on Proverbs 24 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 24 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Falleth; either, 1. Into sin. Or, rather, 2. Into calamities, of which he evidently speaks, both in the foregoing verse, and in the opposite and following branch of this verse, and so this word is used in the next verse, and , &c. And so this is fitly alleged as a just reason to dissuade wicked men from their unjust attempts against righteous men, because they should not succeed in them; and although they might by God’ s permission bring them into some distress for a thee, yet God would deliver them out of their hands, and they should be disappointed of their hopes. Seven times, i.e. frequently. Into mischief; into unavoidable and irrecoverable destruction, ofttimes in this life, and…

Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 24 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Proverbs 24:16 For a just [man] falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.Ver. 16. For a just man falleth seven times,] i.e., Often. Seven times a day, as the Vulgate and many of the Fathers read it, who also understand this text as falling into sin, and rising again by repentance. But the opposition carries it to the other sense, of falling into trouble. And the next verse speaks as much, "Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth." God’ s saints are bound to "rejoice when they fall into divers temptations." What though they fall into them? not go in step by step, but be precipitated, plunged over head and ears. Say they fall not into one but many…

Read John Trapp on Proverbs 24 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(16) For a just man falleth seven times and riseth up again.—That is, falls into trouble (not sin, as is often supposed). Therefore thy malice will be of no avail, for God’s protection is about him. (Comp. Job 5:19; Psalms 34:19; Psalms 37:24.) Seven times—i.e., frequently. (Comp. Matthew 18:21.)

Read Charles John Ellicott on Proverbs 24 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 16. For a just man] צדיק tsaddik, the righteous, the same person mentioned above. Falleth seven times] Gets very often into distresses through his resting place being spoiled by the wicked man, the robber, the spoiler of the desert, lying in wait for this purpose, Proverbs 24:15. And riseth up again] Though God permit the hand of violence sometimes to spoil his tent, temptations to assail his mind, and afflictions to press down his body, he constantly emerges; and every time he passes through the furnace, he comes out brighter and more refined. But the wicked shall fall into mischief.] And there they shall lie; having no strong arm to uphold them. Yet,

Read AdamClarke on Proverbs 24 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

16. falleth] not into sin, for the Heb. word is never used of moral lapse, but into trouble or calamity. You will “lay wait against” him and “spoil” him (Proverbs 24:15) to no purpose. You may cause him many “falls” by your machinations, but he will rise superior to them all. “Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand” (Psalms 37:24. Comp. Psalms 34:19). Whereas “the wicked,” among whom thou art thus numbering thyself (Proverbs 24:15), shall fall into mischief; or rather, shall not merely fall to rise again, but are overthrown by calamity (R.V.). By a single calamity, it may be (in contrast to the sevenfold recovery of the righteous) they…

Read Cambridge on Proverbs 24 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

15, 16. Falleth seven times — The falling, here, is not into sin, but into calamity of any kind.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Proverbs 24 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

For though a righteous man may fall seven times, he still gets up; but the wicked stumble in bad times.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

for a righteous man falls seven times and rises up again, but the wicked are overthrown by calamity.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

For though a righteous man may fall seven times, he still gets up; but the wicked stumble in bad times.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Although a righteous person may fall seven times, he gets up again, but the wicked will be brought down by calamity.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up again; But the wicked are overthrown by calamity.

RVARevised Version, American1894

For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked are overthrown by calamity.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

For a iust man falleth seuen times, and riseth againe: but the wicked fall into mischiefe.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

For the righteous falleth seven times, and riseth up again; but the wicked stumble into disaster.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

For seven [times] doth the righteous fall and rise, And the wicked stumble in evil.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

For the righteous fall and rise seven [times], || And the wicked stumble in evil.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

For though the righteous were to fall seven times, he will rise up again; but the wicked shall stumble into misfortune.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

For the righteous person falls down seven times and rises again, but wicked people are brought down by calamity.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

For a just mall shall fall seven times and shall rise again: but the wicked shall fall down into evil.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Those who do right may fall down seven times, and still get up again; but the wicked are brought down by disaster.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

For an upright man, after falling seven times, will get up again: but trouble is the downfall of the evil.

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.

כִּ֤י(dm)clauseadverbialשֶׁ֨בַעseven.[times]verbיִפּ֣וֹלhe.will.fallsubjectצַדִּ֣יקa.righteous.[person]וָandclauseverbקָ֑םhe.will.riseוּ֝andclausesubjectרְשָׁעִ֗יםwicked.[people]verbיִכָּשְׁל֥וּthey.will.stumbleprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְinרָעָֽהtrouble

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


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

The Masoretic Text of Proverbs 24:16 states, "For though a righteous man may fall seven times, he still gets up; but the wicked stumble in bad times." The Septuagint closely aligns with this verse, matching 7 of the 8 words in a word-by-word correspondence, indicating a strong agreement in meaning, though the specific wording and structure may differ due to the nature of translation. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Dead Sea Scrolls do not provide additional variations for this verse, so the primary differences in wording are found in the translation process of the Septuagint compared to the Masoretic Text, rather than in the content itself.

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

כִּ֤י שֶׁ֨בַע׀ יִפּ֣וֹל צַדִּ֣יק וָקָ֑ם וּ֝רְשָׁעִ֗ים יִכָּשְׁל֥וּ בְרָעָֽה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
שֶׁ֨בַע׀ἑπτάκιיִפּ֣וֹלπεσεῖταιצַדִּ֣יקδίκαιοςוָקָ֑םἀναστήσεταιוּ֝רְשָׁעִ֗יםἀσεβεῖςיִכָּשְׁל֥וּἀσθενήσουσινבְרָעָֽה׃κακοῖς

7 of the 8 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 24:16כִּיforforכִּישֶׁ֫בַעseven [timeseven [times]שֶׁ֫בַענָפַלhe will falhe will fallנָפַלצַדִּיקa righteousa righteous [peצַדִּיקלֵבand he willand he will risלֵברָשָׁעand wicked and wicked [peoרָשָׁעכָּשַׁלthey will sthey will stumbכָּשַׁלרַעin troublein troubleרַעשָׁבַעto swearto swearשָׁבַעצָדֵקto justifyto justifyצָדֵקרָשַׁעbe wickedbe wickedרָשַׁערָעַעbe evilbe evilרָעַעפָּלַלto prayto prayפָּלַליָדַעto knowto knowיָדַעפַּ֫עַםbeatbeatפַּ֫עַםגּוֹרָלallottedallottedגּוֹרָלחָלָלslain: kilslain: killedחָלָלרָשָׁעwickedwickedרָשָׁעעָ֫וֶלinjusticeinjusticeעָ֫וֶלנֶ֫דֶרvowvowנֶ֫דֶרעֵדwitnesswitnessעֵדצַדִּיקrighteousrighteousצַדִּיקאָבַדto perishto perishאָבַדעָזַרto helpto helpעָזַרמַעֲלָלdeeddeedמַעֲלָלנחםto be sorrto be sorry: coנחם
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 24:16

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

for seven [times] he will fall a righteous [person] and he will rise and wicked [people] they will stumble in trouble
כִּ֤יki for H3588 Particle
4,483× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A conjunction used to show cause or connection, as in Genesis 2:23 where Adam says the woman is bone of his bone because she was taken out of him. It is often translated as 'for', 'because', or 'since'.
Tyndale gloss
for
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי conj. that, for, when

that

Of time, when, of the past

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

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

Because, since

base

כִּי אם־

each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:

that if

for if

(About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—

limiting the prec. clause, except

the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

after an oath, surely

base

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3588a כִּי that, for, when . that

. . Of time, when, of the past

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

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

. Because, since

H3588b כִּי אם־ . each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause: . that if

. for if

. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause— . limiting the prec. clause, except

. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

. after an oath, surely

H3588c כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3588 kiy kee

a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional

prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

whether, while, whom, yea, yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כִּי (ki) — for.

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

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

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

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

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

1f) but rather, but

1g) except that

1h) only, nevertheless

1i) surely

1j) that is

1k) but if

1l) for though

1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

כִּי [אם] (ki im) — that if: except.

1) except if

1a) but if

1b) even though

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

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

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

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

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

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

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

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

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
for seven [times] he will fall a righteous [person] and he will rise and wicked [people] they will stumble in trouble
שֶׁ֨בַע׀She.va' seven [times] H7651 Adj
395× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means the number seven, which was considered a special or sacred number. It can also mean seven times or a week, and is used in the Bible to describe completeness or perfection. The KJV translates it as seven or sevenfold.
Tyndale gloss
seven
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שֶׁ֫בַע (sheba`) means 'seven' and is a cardinal number. It can also imply 'seven times' or refer to a week. The term appears in various contexts, including combinations like 17 or 700. Its Aramaic equivalent is שִׁבְעָה (shiv.ah), also meaning 'seven'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שֶׁ֫בַע, שִׁבְעָה 394 n.m. et f. seven

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7651 שֶׁ֫בַע, שִׁבְעָה seven

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7651 sheba` sheh'-bah

or (masculine) shibrah {shib-aw'}; from 7650; a primitive

cardinal number; seven (as the sacred full one); also

(adverbially) seven times; by implication, a week; by

extension, an indefinite number:--(+ by) seven(-fold),-s,

(-teen, -teenth), -th, times). Compare 7658.

see HEBREW for 07650

see HEBREW for 07658

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שֶׁ֫בַע (she.va) — seven.

1) seven (cardinal number)

1a) as ordinal number

1b) in combination-17, 700 etc

Aramaic equivalent: shiv.ah (שִׁבְעָה "seven" H7655)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAcbsa
for seven [times] he will fall a righteous [person] and he will rise and wicked [people] they will stumble in trouble
יִפּ֣וֹלyi.Pol he will fall H5307 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
435× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to fall, and it's used in many ways, like falling down, failing, or being defeated. It appears in books like Genesis and Isaiah. God's people often fell away from Him, but He always offered a way back.
Amplified meaning
stumble, be defeated
Tyndale gloss
to fall: fall
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָפַל (naphal) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to fall,' encompassing a wide range of applications, including falling by accident, experiencing violent death, or going to ruin. It can also refer to prostrating oneself, attacking, or causing someone to fall. The term appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, often indicating physical or metaphorical downfall.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָפַל 433 vb. fall, lie

Qal 366

fall, by accident

Esp. of violent death

fig. = go to ruin, perish, etc.

fig. = experience calamity

fall, of a city

Fall prostrate

fall = prostrate oneself before

fall upon one's neck, in embrace

Fall upon = attack

desert or fall away to, go over to

Fig., of deep sleep

Other idiomatic uses

= lie; = lie prostrate

Hiph.

cause to fall

Of causing death; = overthrow, bring to destruction

Esp. of casting lot

Fig., let drop, cause to fail

cause deep sleep to fall

Other idioms

Hithp. throw, or prostrate oneself

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5307 נָפַל fall, lie .. fall, by accident

. . Esp. of violent death

. fig. = go to ruin, perish, etc.

. fig. = experience calamity

. fall, of a city

. . Fall prostrate

. fall = prostrate oneself before

. fall upon one's neck, in embrace

. . Fall upon = attack

. desert or fall away to, go over to

. Fig., of deep sleep

. Other idiomatic uses

. = lie; = lie prostrate

. . cause to fall

. Of causing death; = overthrow, bring to destruction

. Esp. of casting lot

. Fig., let drop, cause to fail

. cause deep sleep to fall

. Other idioms

. throw, or prostrate oneself

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5307 naphal naw-fal'

a primitive root; to fall, in a great variety of applications

(intransitive or causative, literal or figurative):--be

accepted, cast (down, self, (lots), out), cease, die, divide

(by lot), (let) fail, (cause to, let, make, ready to) fall

(away, down, -en, -ing), fell(-ing), fugitive, have

(inheritance), inferior, be judged (by mistake for 6419), lay

(along), (cause to) lie down, light (down), be (X hast) lost,

lying, overthrow, overwhelm, perish, present(-ed, -ing), (make

to) rot, slay, smite out, X surely, throw down.

see HEBREW for 06419

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָפַל (na.phal) — to fall: fall.

: fall/drop/fail

1) to fall, lie, be cast down, fail

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to fall

1a2) to fall (of violent death)

1a3) to fall prostrate, prostrate oneself before

1a4) to fall upon, attack, desert, fall away to, go away to, fall into the hand of

1a5) to fall short, fail, fall out, turn out, result

1a6) to settle, waste away, be offered, be inferior to

1a7) to lie, lie prostrate

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to cause to fall, fell, throw down, knock out, lay prostrate

1b2) to overthrow

1b3) to make the lot fall, assign by lot, apportion by lot

1b4) to let drop, cause to fail (fig.)

1b5) to cause to fall

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to throw or prostrate oneself, throw oneself upon

1c2) to lie prostrate, prostrate oneself

1d) (Pilel) to fall

נָפַל (na.phal) — to fall: deserting.

: deserting

1) to fall, lie, be cast down, fail

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to fall

1a2) to fall (of violent death)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVqi3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

fol (vb.): The idea of falling is most frequently expressed in Hebrew by naphal, but also by many other words; in Greek by pipto, and its compounds. The uses of the word in Scripture are very varied. There is the literal falling by descent; the falling of the countenance in sorrow, shame, anger, etc. (Ge 4:5,6); the falling in battle (Ge 14:10; Nu 14:3, etc.); the falling into trouble, etc. (Pr 24:16,17); prostration in supplication and reverence (Ge 17:3; Nu 14:5, etc.); falling of the Spirit of Yahweh (Eze 11:5

for seven [times] he will fall a righteous [person] and he will rise and wicked [people] they will stumble in trouble
צַדִּ֣יקtza.Dik a righteous [person] H6662 Adj
206× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means being just or righteous, as seen in government, personal conduct, or character, often describing someone made right with God. It appears in descriptions of King David and other biblical leaders. The concept is central to the Bible's teachings on morality and ethics.
Amplified meaning
morally upright, just, a just person, having God's nature
Tyndale gloss
righteous
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

צַדִּיק (tsaddiyq) means just or righteous, covering various aspects such as lawful behavior, moral conduct, and being justified by God. It is derived from a related root and is used to describe individuals who are upright in character and actions.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

צַדִּיק 206 adj. just, righteous

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6662 צַדִּיק just, righteous

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6662 tsaddiyq tsad-deek'

from 6663; just:--just, lawful, righteous (man).

see HEBREW for 06663

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

צַדִּיק (tsad.diq) — righteous.

1) just, lawful, righteous

1a) just, righteous (in government)

1b) just, right (in one's cause)

1c) just, righteous (in conduct and character)

1d) righteous (as justified and vindicated by God)

1e) right, correct, lawful

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAamsa
for seven [times] he will fall a righteous [person] and he will rise and wicked [people] they will stumble in trouble
וָקָ֑םva.Kam and he will rise H6965 Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person masculine singular
628× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Qum means to rise or stand up, used in various contexts like rising to power or standing firm, as seen in Jeremiah and Ezra.
Amplified meaning
rises again, stands firm
Tyndale gloss
(Leb)-kamai
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word קוּם (qum) is a primitive root meaning 'to rise' and encompasses a range of actions such as standing, becoming powerful, and establishing. It can imply a sudden or hostile rise, as well as the act of fulfilling or confirming something. The entries also note various grammatical forms, indicating its use in different contexts, including raising up or causing to stand.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֵב קָמָי prob. late Atbash Je 51:1.

ref

קוּם 628 vb. arise, stand up, stand

Qal 460

arise

arise, in hostile sense (oft. with idea of suddenness)

arise, abs., = become powerful

arise = come on the scene, appear, of leader, prophet

arise for, i.e. to become

arise for action

arise (out of inaction), introducing some specific deed

esp. arise = start, make a move, to go somewhere

stand

Pi.

fulfil

confirm, ratify

confirm, establish

impose, an obligation

Pō‛l. raise up

Hithpō‛l. raise oneself, = rise up

Hiph.

146cause to arise, raise

raise, set up, stones

erect, build

fig, of setting up law

raise up = bring on the scene

raise up = rouse, stir up

instigate, build

fig, of setting up law

raise up = constitute

cause to stand

Hoph. be raised up

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6965a לֵב קָמָי prob. late Atbash H6965b קוּם arise, stand up, stand .. arise

. arise, in hostile sense (oft. with idea of suddenness)

. arise, abs., = become powerful

. arise = come on the scene, appear, of leader, prophet

. arise for, i.e. to become

. . arise for action

. arise (out of inaction), introducing some specific deed

. esp. arise = start, make a move, to go somewhere

. stand

. . fulfil

. . confirm, ratify

. confirm, establish

. impose, an obligation

. raise up

. raise oneself, = rise up

. . cause to arise, raise

. . raise, set up, stones

. erect, build

. fig, of setting up law

. raise up = bring on the scene

. . raise up = rouse, stir up

. instigate, build

. fig, of setting up law

. raise up = constitute

. cause to stand

. be raised up

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6965 quwm koom

a primitive root; to rise (in various applications, literal,

figurative, intensive and causative):--abide, accomplish, X

be clearer, confirm, continue, decree, X be dim, endure, X

enemy, enjoin, get up, make good, help, hold, (help to) lift

up (again), make, X but newly, ordain, perform, pitch, raise

(up), rear (up), remain, (a-)rise (up) (again, against), rouse

up, set (up), (e-)stablish, (make to) stand (up), stir up,

strengthen, succeed, (as-, make) sure(-ly), (be) up(-hold, -

rising).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קָמָי (qa.may) — (Leb)-kamai.

Combined with lev (לֵב "Leb" H3820B)

§ -Kamai = "my adversary"

Leb-kamai, i.e., people of Gambulai

קוּם (qum) — to arise: rise.

: rise/get_going

1) to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to arise

1a2) to arise (hostile sense)

1a3) to arise, become powerful

1a4) to arise, come on the scene

1a5) to stand

1a5a) to maintain oneself

1a5b) to be established, be confirmed

1a5c) to stand, endure

1a5d) to be fixed

1a5e) to be valid

1a5f) to be proven

1a5g) to be fulfilled

1a5h) to persist

1a5i) to be set, be fixed

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to fulfil

1b2) to confirm, ratify, establish, impose

1c) (Polel) to raise up

1d) (Hithpael) to raise oneself, rise up

1e) (Hiphil)

1e1) to cause to arise, raise

1e2) to raise, set up, erect, build

1e3) to raise up, bring on the scene

1e4) to raise up, rouse, stir up, investigate

1e5) to raise up, constitute

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqq3ms
for seven [times] he will fall a righteous [person] and he will rise and wicked [people] they will stumble in trouble
וּ֝רְשָׁעִ֗יםu.re.sha.'Im and wicked [people] H7563 Conjunction · 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
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
Conj | Adj — Conjunction · noun common masculine plural absolute
HC/Ncmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

pe'-p'-l: In English Versions of the Bible represents something over a dozen Hebrew and Greek words. Of these, in the Old Testament, `am, is overwhelmingly the most common (about 2,000 times), with le'om, and goy, next in order; but the various Hebrew words are used with very little or no difference in force (e.g. Pr 14:28; but, on the other hand, in Ps 44 contrast verses 12 and 14). Of the changes introduced by the Revised Version (British and American) the only one of significance (cited explicitly in the Preface to the English Revised Version) is the frequent use of the plural "peoples" (strangely avoided in the King James Version except Re 10:11; 17:15), where other nations than Israel are in question. So, for instance, in Ps…

for seven [times] he will fall a righteous [person] and he will rise and wicked [people] they will stumble in trouble
יִכָּשְׁל֥וּyi.ka.she.Lu they will stumble H3782 Verb · Niphal · imperfect third person masculine plural
62× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To stumble means to lose your balance and almost fall, often because of weakness. In the Bible, it can also mean to falter or fail spiritually. This word is used in many books, including Psalms and Proverbs.
Amplified meaning
fall, are overthrown
Tyndale gloss
to stumble
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כָּשַׁל (kashal) means to stumble or totter, often due to weakness. It can refer to physical stumbling, as well as metaphorical weakness or failure. The verb has various forms, including causing others to stumble or making them weak. The entries suggest a range of meanings from literal stumbling to broader implications of ruin and weakness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כָּשַׁל vb. stumble, stagger, totter

Qal

stumble at, over, something (lit. by means of)

totter

Niph.

stumble

be tottering, feeble

Pi. only apparent

Hiph.

cause to stumble

make feeble, weak

Hoph. either and let them be ones who have stumbled before thee, i.e. regard them as such, or and let them be ones overthrown before thee

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3782 כָּשַׁל stumble, stagger, totter .. stumble at, over, something (lit. by means of)

. totter

. . stumble

. be tottering, feeble

. only apparent

. . cause to stumble

. make feeble, weak

. either and let them be ones who have stumbled before thee, i.e. regard them as such, or and let them be ones overthrown before thee

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3782 kashal kaw-shal'

a primitive root; to totter or waver (through weakness of the

legs, especially the ankle); by implication, to falter,

stumble, faint or fall:--bereave (from the margin), cast down,

be decayed, (cause to) fail, (cause, make to) fall

(down, -ing), feeble, be (the) ruin(-ed, of), (be) overthrown,

(cause to) stumble, X utterly, be weak.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כָּשַׁל (ka.shal) — to stumble.

1) to stumble, stagger, totter

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to stumble

1a2) to totter

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to stumble

1b2) to be tottering, be feeble

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to cause to stumble, bring injury or ruin to, overthrow

1c2) to make feeble, make weak

1d) (Hophal) to be made to stumble

1e) (Piel) bereave

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Niphal-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Niphal · imperfect third person masculine plural
HVNi3mp
for seven [times] he will fall a righteous [person] and he will rise and wicked [people] they will stumble in trouble
בְרָעָֽה׃ve.ra.'Ah in trouble H7451 Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
662× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Ra means bad or evil, referring to moral or natural harm. It describes adversity, affliction, or distress, and is often used to convey a sense of misery or injury.
Amplified meaning
times of, evil, calamity
Tyndale gloss
bad: harmful
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רַע (ra) is a Hebrew word meaning bad or evil, encompassing a range of negative qualities such as distress, misery, and ethical wrongdoing. It can describe unpleasantness, harm, or low value, and is used in various contexts, including emotional states and moral judgments. The entries also note its comparative form, indicating worse than or worst. The word has feminine forms, such as רָעָה (ra.ah), which similarly convey concepts of evil and distress.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רַע 228 adj. bad, evil

bad, disagreeable, malignant

bad, unpleasant, giving pain, unhappiness, misery

evil, displeasing

bad of its kind

bad, , i.e. of low value

מִן comp., worse than

sad, unhappy

devise evil (hurtful) device

bad, unkind, vicious in disposition or temper

ethically bad, evil, wicked

base

רַע 126 n.m. evil, distress, misery, injury, calamity

evil, distress, adversity

evil, injury, wrong

ethical evil

base

רָעָה 310 n.f. evil, misery, distress, injury

evil, misery, distress

evil, injury, wrong

ethical evil

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7451a רַע bad, evil . bad, disagreeable, malignant

. bad, unpleasant, giving pain, unhappiness, misery

. evil, displeasing

. bad of its kind

. bad, , i.e. of low value

. + מִן comp., worse than

. sad, unhappy

. devise evil (hurtful) device

. bad, unkind, vicious in disposition or temper

. ethically bad, evil, wicked

H7451b רַע evil, distress, misery, injury, calamity . evil, distress, adversity

. evil, injury, wrong

. ethical evil

H7451c רָעָה evil, misery, distress, injury . evil, misery, distress

. evil, injury, wrong

. ethical evil

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7451 ra` rah

from 7489; bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral):--

adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, + displease(-ure),

distress, evil((- favouredness), man, thing), + exceedingly, X

great, grief(-vous), harm, heavy, hurt(-ful), ill (favoured),

+ mark, mischief(-vous), misery, naught(-ty), noisome, + not

please, sad(-ly), sore, sorrow, trouble, vex,

wicked(-ly, -ness, one), worse(-st), wretchedness, wrong.

(Incl. feminine raaah; as adjective or noun.).

see HEBREW for 07489

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רַע (ra) — bad: harmful.

: harmful

adj

1) bad, evil

1a) bad, disagreeable, malignant

1b) bad, unpleasant, evil (giving pain, unhappiness, misery)

1c) evil, displeasing

1d) bad (of its kind-land, water, etc)

1e) bad (of value)

1f) worse than, worst (comparison)

1g) sad, unhappy

1h) evil (hurtful)

1i) bad, unkind (vicious in disposition)

1j) bad, evil, wicked (ethically)

1j1) in general, of persons, of thoughts

1j2) deeds, actions

רַע (ra) — bad: evil.

1) evil, distress, misery, injury, calamity

1a) evil, distress, adversity

1b) evil, injury, wrong

1c) evil (ethical)

רָעָה (ra.ah) — distress: harm.

: harm

1) evil, misery, distress, injury

1a) evil, misery, distress

1b) evil, injury, wrong

1c) evil (ethical)

רַע (ra) — bad: evil.

: evil

adj

1) bad, evil

1a) bad, disagreeable, malignant

1b) bad, unpleasant, evil (giving pain, unhappiness, misery)

1c) evil, displeasing

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-fs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
HR/Ncfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Nave's Topical Bible

→ BORROWING Mt 6:25-34; Mr 5:35,36; Joh 14:1; 16:6,7; Php 4:6; 1Pe 5:7

See AFFLICTION

See SUFFERING

→ INSTANCES OF

Israelites at the Red Sea Ex 14:10-12

About water Ex 15:23-25; 17:2,3; Nu 20:1-13

Food Ex 16:2,3; Nu 11:4-33

When Moses waited upon the mountain Ex 32:1

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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