Proverbs 30:30 — Word Study
WLCלַ֭יִשׁ גִּבּ֣וֹר בַּבְּהֵמָ֑ה וְלֹא־ יָ֝שׁ֗וּב מִפְּנֵי־ כֹֽל׃
BSAa lionlayish [supreme among wild animals] mightygibbôwr [strongest, like a warrior] among beastsbᵉhêmâh [large quadruped mammals] refusinglôʼ [turning not away] to retreatshûwb▸ [to return, turn back] beforepânîym anythingkôl [in the face of all, from the presence of any]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| לַ֭יִשׁ | a lion | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| גִּבּ֣וֹר | [is] mighty | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| בַּבְּהֵמָ֑ה | among the animal[s] | Preposition, noun common feminine singular absolute |
| וְלֹא־ | and not | Conjunction, particle |
| יָ֝שׁ֗וּב | it turns back | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine singular |
| מִפְּנֵי־ | from before | Preposition, noun common masculine plural construct |
| כֹֽל׃ | anything | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | a lion, mighty among beasts, refusing to retreat before anything; |
| KJV | A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any; |
| ASV | The lion, which is mightiest among beasts, And turneth not away for any; |
| YLT | An old lion — mighty among beasts, That turneth not back from the face of any, |
| WEB | The lion, which is mightiest among animals, and doesn’t turn away for any; |
| BBE | The lion, which is strongest among beasts, not turning from his way for any; |
All translations agree on the depiction of the lion's might.
The sentence is structured around a main clause with additional descriptive phrases that enhance the imagery of the lion's strength.
4 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Whedon & more — read them ›
clause
verbשׁוּב
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
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 30:30
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 — Observations on Strength and Couragegenerated
Proverbs 30:30 presents a vivid image of a lion, illustrating its might and refusal to retreat. This verse is part of a series of observations about various animals that exemplify strength and poise, encouraging reflection on the qualities of courage and resilience found in nature. The surrounding verses highlight the majesty of creatures like the rooster, the he-goat, and a king, each representing different aspects of authority and confidence.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Numbers 23:24 | Behold, the people rise like a lioness; they rouse themselves like a lion, not resting until they devour their prey and drink the blood of the slain.” |
| 2 | Judges 14:18 | Before sunset on the seventh day, the men of the city said to Samson: “What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion?” So he said to them: “If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have solved my riddle!” |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 2 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — גִּבּ֣וֹר, gi.Borgenerated
The word גִּבּ֣וֹר (gibbor) is a noun that means 'mighty' or 'strong,' often used to describe warriors or champions. It is derived from a root that conveys the idea of strength and valor, emphasizing the powerful nature of the lion in this context.
The parsing as a masculine singular absolute noun indicates that it stands alone as a subject, reinforcing the lion's status as a supreme creature among animals. The term captures the essence of bravery and might, as seen in various biblical contexts.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses mighty to describe the lion, a choice echoed by the KJV and ASV.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb יָ֝שׁ֗וּב (it turns back) governs the sentence, with several phrases describing the lion's characteristics. The structure emphasizes the lion's strength and refusal to retreat.
The main clause presents the lion as a subject, followed by a series of descriptive phrases that elaborate on its might and behavior, creating a vivid image of its courageous nature.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates גִּבּ֣וֹר as ἰσξυρότερος, which means 'stronger.' This choice highlights the lion's unmatched strength, aligning with the Hebrew emphasis on might.
The Greek term carries a similar connotation of power, reinforcing the idea of the lion as a dominant figure among animals.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Proverbs 30:30 describes a lion as a powerful animal that does not back down from any challenge. It emphasizes the lion's strength and courage, comparing it to other impressive creatures in the surrounding verses.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The lion symbolizes unmatched strength and courage, representing a powerful figure that stands firm against challenges.
This description highlights the lion's bravery and determination, illustrating its nature as a fearless leader among animals.
The passage also mentions a strutting rooster, a he-goat, and a king with his army, each representing different forms of strength and authority.
This verse contributes to the theme of wisdom in Proverbs by encouraging readers to observe and learn from the strength and courage found in nature.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What qualities of strength and courage can I observe in my own life?
- How can I embody the determination of the lion when faced with challenges?
- In what ways can I learn from the characteristics of other animals mentioned in this passage?
- How does understanding the nature of the lion enhance my appreciation for the wisdom in Proverbs?
Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Proverbs 30:30 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleA lion, [which is] strongest among beasts,.... For what is stronger than a lion, or more courageous and undaunted?
Read John Gill on Proverbs 30 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryA lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any; A lion ... turneth not away for any - Hebrew 'from the presence of any;' i:e., for fear of any (cf. Job 39:22).
Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 30 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleHe doth not flee from his pursuers, whether men or beasts, but walketh away with a slow and majestic pace, as is observed by Aristotle, and many others.
Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 30 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible29-31. Three… four… comely — The author here adds the four things of stately or majestic gait. A lion — The most heroic among the beasts, or, at least, so popularly held, and, therefore, called the king of beasts.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Proverbs 30 →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
a lion, mighty among beasts, refusing to retreat before anything;
The lion, which is mightiest among animals, and doesn’t turn away for any;
a lion, mighty among beasts, refusing to retreat before anything;
a lion, mightiest of the beasts, who does not retreat from anything;
Tyndale line
A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;
The lion, which is mightiest among beasts, And turneth not away for any;
The lion, which is mightiest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;
A lion, which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;
A lyon which is strong among beastes, and turneth not at the sight of any:
Strictly literal
The lion, mighty among beasts, which turneth not away for any;
An old lion — mighty among beasts, That turneth not back from the face of any,
An old lion—mighty among beasts, || That does not turn back from the face of any,
The lion, the mightiest among beasts, who turneth not round from before any one;
a lion, strongest among wild animals— it does not turn away from anything;
From the Latin
A lion, the strongest of beasts, who hath no fear of any thing he meeteth:
Simplified
The lion, supreme among wild animals, who isn't frightened of anything.
The lion, which is strongest among beasts, not turning from his way for any;
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.
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 this verse, with all seven Hebrew words matched in the Greek translation. This consistency indicates a strong preservation of the original meaning across these texts.
לַ֭יִשׁ גִּבּ֣וֹר בַּבְּהֵמָ֑ה וְלֹא־ יָ֝שׁ֗וּב מִפְּנֵי־ כֹֽל׃
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.
Lexicons — every word in Proverbs 30:30
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.
לַ֫יִשׁ (layish) means 'lion' and is derived from a root that suggests crushing, reflecting the lion's powerful nature. The term appears in contexts related to its strength and ferocity, though no specific verses are cited in the entries.
לַ֫יִשׁ n.m. lion
base
H3918 לַ֫יִשׁ lion
3918 layish lah'-yish
from 3888 in the sense of crushing; a lion (from his
destructive blows):--(old)lion.
see HEBREW for 03888
לַ֫יִשׁ (la.yish) — lion.
lion
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
li'-un:
(1) Occurring most often in the Old Testament is 'aryeh, plural 'ardyoth. Another form, 'ari, plural 'arayim, is found less often.
1. Names:
Compare 'ari'el, "Ariel" (Ezr 8:16; Isa 29:1,2,7); char'el, "upper altar," and 'ari'el, "altar hearth" (Eze 43:15); 'aryeh, "Arieh" (2Ki 15:25); 'ar'eli, "Areli" and "Arelites" (Ge 46:16; Nu 26:17).
"The most powerful, daring and impressive of all carnivorous animals, the most magnificent in aspect and awful in voice." At present lions do not exist in Palestine; but they must in ancient times have been numerous. The lion of Palestine was in all probability the Asiatic variety, described by Aristotle and Pliny as distinguished by its short and curly mane, and by being shorter and rounder in shape, like the sculptured lion found at Arban. It was less daring than the longer named species, but when driven by hunger it not only ventured to attack the flocks in the desert in presence of the shepherd, (1 Samuel 17:34; Isaiah 31:4) but laid waste towns and villages, (2 Kings 17:25,26; Proverbs 22:13; 26:13) and devoured men.…
The well-known and noble king of beasts, frequently spoken of in Scripture. He often exceeds eight feet in length and four feet in height; and his majestic and dauntless aspect, his prodigious strength and agility, and his peculiar roar, make him the terror of the forests. Lions were common in Palestine, (See JORDAN,) and the Hebrews had seven different names for them, to distinguish the different ages, etc. Five of these occur together in Job 4:10,11. See also Na 2:11,12. The psalmist alludes to the stealthy creeping of the lion till he can spring upon his prey, when he says of the crafty wicked man, "He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den; .... he croucheth, and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones." The Bible reader will remember the exploits of…
גִּבּוֹר (gibbor) means strong or mighty, and can refer to a powerful person, such as a warrior or chief. It is built from a root that implies strength and valor, covering meanings related to strength and bravery. The entries consistently emphasize its use to describe a strong man or mighty figure.
גִּבּוֹר 159 adj. strong, mighty
base
H1368 גִּבּוֹר strong, mighty
1368 gibbowr ghib-bore'
or (shortened) gibbor {ghib-bore'}; intensive from the same
as 1397; powerful; by implication, warrior, tyrant:--
champion, chief, X excel, giant, man, mighty (man, one),
strong (man), valiant man.
see HEBREW for 01397
גִּבּוֹר (gib.bor) — mighty man.
adj
1) strong, mighty
n m
2) strong man, brave man, mighty man
Adj — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
בְּהֵמָה (bhemah) refers to a beast or animal, typically denoting domesticated livestock or cattle, and occasionally wild beasts. It is derived from a root that suggests being mute, implying a 'dumb beast.' The term encompasses all living creatures other than humans, with a specific mention of large quadrupeds.
בְּהֵמָה 187 n.f. beast, animal, cattle
of living creatures other than man
opp. also to wild beasts
rarely of wild beasts, esp. carnivora
base
H929 בְּהֵמָה beast, animal, cattle . of living creatures other than man
. opp. also to wild beasts
. rarely of wild beasts, esp. carnivora
929 bhemah be-hay-maw'
from an unused root (probably meaning to be mute); properly,
a dumb beast; especially any large quadruped or animal (often
collective):--beast, cattle.
בְּהֵמָה (be.he.mah) — animal.
1) beast, cattle, animal
1a) beasts (coll of all animals)
1b) cattle, livestock (of domestic animals)
1c) wild beasts
Prep | N-fs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absoluteHRd/Ncfsa
לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'
לֹא or לוֹא adv. not
base
H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not
3808 lo' lo
or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often
used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,
ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,
no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out
of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +
of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.
לֹא (lo) — not.
1) not, no
1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)
1b) not (with modifier-negation)
1c) nothing (subst)
1d) without (with particle)
1e) before (of time)
Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Conj | Part — Conjunction · particleHC/Tn
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.
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
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
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,
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)
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singularHVqi3ms
The Hebrew word פָּנֶה (*pāneh*) is a noun meaning 'face' or 'presence,' and it appears in various contexts, including the faces of seraphim and animals, as well as the surface of the ground. It can also function as an adverb meaning 'before' or 'in front of.' The word is built from a root that suggests turning or facing, and it encompasses a wide range of applications, both literal and figurative.
[פָּנֶה], pl. פָּנִים 2123 n.m. face, also faces
face, faces
presence, person
technically, see one's face, i.e. appear before one, in one's presence
face of seraphim
face of animals
face (= surface) of ground
as adv.loc. before
for other phrases
with prepositions
base
H6440 פָּנֶה, pl. פָּנִים face, also faces . . face, faces
. . presence, person
. technically, see one's face, i.e. appear before one, in one's presence
. face of seraphim
. face of animals
. face (= surface) of ground
. as adv. loc. before
. for other phrases
. with prepositions
6440 paniym paw-neem'
plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun (paneh
{paw-neh'}; from 6437); the face (as the part that turns);
used in a great variety of applications (literally and
figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a
preposition (before, etc.):--+ accept, a-(be- )fore(-time),
against, anger, X as (long as), at, + battle, + because (of),
+ beseech, countenance, edge, + employ, endure, + enquire,
face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er
time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, X him(-self), +
honourable, + impudent, + in, it, look(-eth) (- s), X me, +
meet, X more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), X on,
open, + out of, over against, the partial, person, + please,
presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, + regard, right
forth, + serve, X shewbread, sight, state, straight, + street,
X thee, X them(-selves), through (+ - out), till, time(-s)
פָּנֶה (pa.neh) — face: before.
: before/to/front
1) face
1a) face, faces
1b) presence, person
1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim)
1d) face (of animals)
1e) face, surface (of ground)
1f) as adv of loc/temp
1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before
1g) with prep
1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from before the face of
פָּנֶה (pa.neh) — face.
: face
1) face
1a) face, faces
1b) presence, person
1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim)
1d) face (of animals)
1e) face, surface (of ground)
1f) as adv of loc/temp
1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before
1g) with prep
1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from…
Prep | N-cp — Preposition · noun common masculine plural constructHR/Ncmpc
be-for': The translation of a great variety of Hebrew and Greek words. "Haran died before (the English Revised Version "in the presence of," literally "before the face of") his father Terah" (Ge 11:28). To be "before" God is to enjoy His favor (Ps 31:22). "The Syrians before" (Isa 9:12 the Revised Version, margin "on the east," as "behind," owing to the position of Canaan, relative to Syria, implies the west).
כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.
כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all
with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every
Absolutely:
without the art., all things, all
with the art. הַכֹּל
where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned
in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)
base
H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every
. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all
. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned
. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)
3605 kol kole
or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;
hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a
plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any
(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as
many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,
whoso(-ever).
see HEBREW for 03634
כֹּל (kol) — all.
1) all, the whole
1a) all, the whole of
1b) any, each, every, anything
1c) totality, everything
Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa