Proverbs 5:20 — Word Study
WLCוְלָ֤מָּה תִשְׁגֶּ֣ה בְנִ֣י בְזָרָ֑ה וּ֝תְחַבֵּ֗ק חֵ֣ק נָכְרִיָּֽה׃
BSAWhymâh be captivatedshâgâh▸ [seduced, ravished] my sonbên [descendant, child] by an adulteresszûwr [immoral woman, stranger] or embracechâbaq▸ [why, clasp tightly, cherish] the bosomchêyq [chest area, intimate relationship] of a strangernokrîy [foreigner, unfamiliar woman]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וְלָ֤מָּה | and why? | Conjunction, preposition, pronoun |
| תִשְׁגֶּ֣ה | will you go astray | Verb, Qal, imperfect second person masculine singular |
| בְנִ֣י | O son my | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| בְזָרָ֑ה | with a strange [woman] | Preposition |
| וּ֝תְחַבֵּ֗ק | may you embrace? | Conjunction, verb piel second person masculine singular |
| חֵ֣ק | [the] bosom of | Noun common, masculine singular construct |
| נָכְרִיָּֽה׃ | a foreign [woman] | Adj |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Why be captivated, my son, by an adulteress, or embrace the bosom of a stranger? |
| KJV | And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger? |
| ASV | For why shouldest thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, And embrace the bosom of a foreigner? |
| YLT | And why dost thou magnify thyself, My son, with a stranger? And embrace the bosom of a strange woman? |
| WEB | For why should you, my son, be captivated with an adulteress? Why embrace the bosom of another? |
| BBE | Why let yourself, my son, go out of the way with a strange woman, and take another woman in your arms? |
All translations agree on the rendering of תִשְׁגֶּ֣ה as 'will you go astray?'.
The sentence has a main clause followed by a subordinate clause, emphasizing the father's warning.
7 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbשָׁגָה
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 5:20
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 — Warnings Against Adulterygenerated
Proverbs 5:20 cautions against the allure of an adulteress, contrasting the intimacy of a loving relationship with the dangers of infidelity. This verse is part of a larger discourse in Proverbs that emphasizes the importance of fidelity and the consequences of straying from moral paths, as seen in Proverbs 5:19 and Proverbs 5:21.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proverbs 2:16–19 | It will rescue you from the forbidden woman, from the stranger with seductive words |
| 2 | Proverbs 6:24 | to keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress. |
| 3 | Proverbs 7:5 | that they may keep you from the adulteress, from the stranger with seductive words. |
| 4 | Proverbs 22:14 | The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; he who is under the wrath of the LORD will fall into it. |
| 5 | Proverbs 23:27–28 | For a prostitute is a deep pit, and an adulteress is a narrow well. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 6 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — תִשְׁגֶּ֣ה, tish.Gehgenerated
The verb שָׁגָה (shagah) means to stray or go astray, often in a moral sense. It is used here in the imperfect tense, indicating an ongoing or potential action, specifically addressing the son directly.
This word captures the essence of wandering away from wisdom and righteousness, suggesting that the son may be led astray by temptation. The context implies a moral failing, warning against the seductive nature of the adulteress.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
All translations agree on the meaning of תִשְׁגֶּ֣ה as 'will you go astray?'.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse features two finite verbs: תִשְׁגֶּ֣ה (will you go astray) and תְחַבֵּ֗ק (may you embrace), which frame the father's inquiry about the son's choices. The structure is straightforward, with the verbs leading the clauses.
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the actions of straying and embracing, highlighting the gravity of the father's warning against the temptations of the adulteress.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates תִשְׁגֶּ֣ה with μὴ (not), suggesting a prohibition against straying. This choice indicates a strong moral directive, emphasizing the importance of remaining faithful.
The LXX's rendering reflects a broader interpretation of the Hebrew text, focusing on the consequences of moral failure.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Proverbs 5:20 warns a son not to be captivated by an immoral woman or to embrace a stranger. The father is advising his son to avoid temptation and stay true to moral principles.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
To be captivated means to be drawn in or seduced by someone who is unfaithful, leading to moral and emotional consequences.
The father addresses his son to impart wisdom and guidance, warning him about the dangers of straying from a righteous path.
Embracing a stranger symbolizes engaging in an intimate relationship with someone who is not trustworthy, which can lead to negative outcomes.
This verse fits within the broader themes of Proverbs, which emphasize the importance of wisdom, fidelity, and the consequences of moral failure.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What are some ways I can guard against temptation in my life?
- How can I apply the wisdom from this verse to my relationships?
- What does it mean to me to embrace fidelity in my life?
- In what situations do I find it most challenging to stay true to my values?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentators like Clement of Alexandria and Bede referenced this verse to discuss moral conduct and the dangers of infidelity.
When Scripture says, “Do not keep going steady with a foreign woman,” it is advising us to make use of secular education but not to settle there permanently.Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 5 →
Why are you led astray, my son, by a foreign woman? etc. And it should be understood of both the prostitute and heresy.Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 5 →
Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Proverbs 5:20 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman,.... Or "err with her" (y); after all those inconveniences and miseries that follow upon a conversation with a harlot, and all those
Read John Gill on Proverbs 5 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger? And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?
Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 5 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleWhy wilt thou destroy and damn thyself for those delights which thou mayst enjoy without sin or danger?
Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 5 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsProverbs 5:20 And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?Ver. 20. And why wilt thou, my son?] The premises considered, there is no reason for it, but all against it. Nothing is more irrational than irreligion, and yet nothing more usual with the devil than to persuade his vassals that there is some sense in sinning, and that they have reason to be mad. And, truly, though there were no devil, yet our corrupt nature would act Satan’ s part against itself; it would have a supply of wickedness - as a serpent hath of poison - from itself. It hath a spring within to feed it. Nitimur in vetitum semper, petimusque negata. Nothing would serve the…
Read John Trapp on Proverbs 5 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(15-20) Drink waters out of thine own cistern . . .—In these verses Solomon urges his disciples to follow after purity in the married life; he pictures in vivid terms the delights which it affords as compared with the pleasures of sin. Out of thine own cistern.—The “strange woman,” on the other hand, says, “Stolen waters are sweet” (Proverbs 9:17). The same figure is employed in Son 4:15, where a wife is compared to “a fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon.” In Jeremiah 2:13 God compares Himself to a “fountain of living waters,” and complains that Israel had deserted Him, and hewed out for themselves “broken cisterns that can hold no water.” This passage in…
Read Charles John Ellicott on Proverbs 5 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleEmphasis is laid (see the Proverbs 2:16 note) upon the origin of the beguiler.
Read Albert Barnes on Proverbs 5 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible, Land and Book, volume i, page 252. 20. Why… be ravished — For why shouldest thou be fascinated with the love of a strange woman?
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Proverbs 5 →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
Why be captivated, my son, by an adulteress, or embrace the bosom of a stranger?
For why should you, my son, be captivated with an adulteress? Why embrace the bosom of another?
Why be captivated, my son, by an adulteress, or embrace the bosom of a stranger?
But why should you be captivated, my son, by an adulteress, and embrace the bosom of a different woman?
Tyndale line
And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?
For why shouldest thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, And embrace the bosom of a foreigner?
For why shouldest thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?
And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?
For why shouldest thou delite, my sonne, in a strange woman, or embrace the bosome of a stranger?
Strictly literal
And why shouldest thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?
And why dost thou magnify thyself, My son, with a stranger? And embrace the bosom of a strange woman?
And why do you magnify yourself, || My son, with a stranger? And embrace the bosom of a strange woman?
And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with an adulteress, and embrace the bosom of an alien woman?
For why should you, my son, be captivated by an adulteress; why should you embrace the breasts of an immoral woman?
From the Latin
Why art thou seduced, my son, by a strange woman, and art cherished in the bosom of another?
Simplified
Why, my son, become intoxicated with an immoral woman? Why embrace the breasts of a woman who acts like a prostitute?
Why let yourself, my son, go out of the way with a strange woman, and take another woman in your arms?
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 share similarities, with four out of seven words matched. The Septuagint provides a different word order, but the core message remains aligned with the Hebrew text, emphasizing the dangers of infidelity.
וְלָ֤מָּה תִשְׁגֶּ֣ה בְנִ֣י בְזָרָ֑ה וּ֝תְחַבֵּ֗ק חֵ֣ק נָכְרִיָּֽה׃
4 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Proverbs 5:20
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.
מָה (mah) is a Hebrew word primarily used as an interrogative particle meaning 'what?' or 'how?'. It can also function as an indefinite pronoun, encompassing meanings like 'anything' or 'whatever'. The word is versatile, appearing in various adverbial forms and often used with prefixes to express different nuances, such as reason or manner.
מָה, rarely מָה־, מַה־, מַהּ, מֶה, מַּ, מָ—pron.interrog. and indef. what? how? aught
interrog. what?
Used adverbially
Indef. pron.
With preps.
base
H4100 מָה, rarely מָה־, מַה־, מַהּ, מֶה, מַּ, מָ—pron. interrog. and indef. what? how? aught . interrog. what?
. Used adverbially
. Indef. pron.
. With preps.
4100 mah maw
or mah {mah}; or ma {maw}; or ma {mah}; also meh {meh}; a
primitive particle; properly, interrogative what? (including
how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including
how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even
relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various
adverbial or conjunctive senses:--how (long, oft, (-
soever)), (no-)thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing),
whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why.
מָה (mah) — what?.
interr pron
1) what, how, of what kind
1a) (interrogative)
1a1) what?
1a2) of what kind
1a3) what? (rhetorical)
1a4) whatsoever, whatever, what
1b) (adverb)
1b1) how, how now
1b2) why
1b3) how! (exclamation)
1c) (with prep)
1c1) wherein?, whereby?, wherewith?, by what means?
1c2) because of what?
1c3) the like of what?
1c3a) how much?, how many?, how often?
1c3b) for how long?
1c4) for what reason?, why?, to what purpose?
1c5) until when?, how long?, upon what?, wherefore?
indef pron
2) anything, aught, what may
Conj | Prep | Part — Conjunction · preposition · pronounHC/R/Pi
שָׁגָה (shagah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to stray or err, often in a moral or mental sense. It can refer to wandering off course, committing sins of ignorance, or leading others astray. The entries highlight its use in both a literal and figurative context, including the idea of intoxication or being enraptured.
[שָׁגָה] vb. go astray, err
Qal
err, stray, of flock
swerve, meander, reel or roll
go astray
specif. commit sin of ignorance, inadvertence
Hiph. lead astray
lit.
mentally = mislead
morally
base
H7686 [שָׁגָה] go astray, err .. err, stray, of flock
. swerve, meander, reel or roll
. go astray
. specif. commit sin of ignorance, inadvertence
. lead astray . lit.
. mentally = mislead
. morally
7686 shagah shaw-gaw'
a primitive root; to stray (causatively, mislead), usually
(figuratively) to mistake, especially (morally) to transgress;
by extension (through the idea of intoxication) to reel,
(figuratively) be enraptured:--(cause to) go astray, deceive,
err, be ravished, sin through ignorance, (let, make to)
wander.
שָׁגָה (sha.gah) — to wander.
1) to go astray, stray, err
1a)(Qal)
1a1) to err, stray
1a2) to swerve, meander, reel, roll, be intoxicated, err (in drunkenness)
1a3) to go astray (morally)
1a4) to commit sin of ignorance or inadvertence, err (ignorantly)
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to lead astray
1b2) to lead astray, mislead (mentally)
1b3) to lead astray (morally)
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect second person masculine singularHVqi2ms
a-stra' (ta`ah, "to wander," "to err"; planaomai, "to go astray," each carrying the idea of being lost): With one exception (Ex 23:4 "his ass going astray") used metaphorically of moral wandering, going astray in paths of error and sin, like "sheep going astray" (1Pe 2:25 the King James Version; Isa 53:6; Ps 119:176).
בֵּן (ben) means 'son' or 'male child' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including descendants, young animals, and even figurative uses like sparks or arrows. It can refer to members of a tribe or class and is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, such as in 1 Chronicles 24:26. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and implies a connection to family or lineage.
בֵּן 4870 n.m. son
son, male child, born of a woman
children (male and female)
youth, young men
the young of animals
of plant shoots
fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows
member of a guild, order or class
of animals son of (the) herd
ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.
n. relat. of age
base
בְּנוֹ 1 Ch 24:26, 27 as n.pr.m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son, cf. VB & Be Öt.
done
H1121a בֵּן son . son, male child, born of a woman
. children (male and female)
. youth, young men
. the young of animals
. of plant shoots
. fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows
. . member of a guild, order or class
. of animals son of (the) herd
. ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.
. n. relat. of age
H1121b בְּנוֹ as n. pr. m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son
1121 ben bane
from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the
widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship,
including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition,
etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-)
(Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to,
(+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born,
bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X
came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of
first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, +
kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+)
people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, +
spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous
one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.
see HEBREW for 01129
see HEBREW for 01
see HEBREW for 0251
בֵּן (ben) — son: child.
: child/son
בְּנוֹ (be.no) — Beno.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.24.26;
son of: Jaaziah (H3269);
brother of: Shoham (H7719), Zaccur (H2139I) and Ibri (H5681)
§ Beno = "his son"
the sons of Jaaziah and the sons of Merari by Jaahziah (his son)
בֵּן (ben) — son: descendant/people.
: descendant, people, tribe, nation
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : child/son
בֵּן (ben) — son: young animal.
: calf/lamb/young(ANIMAL)
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : descendant
בֵּן (ben) — son: type of.
: rebel/son(Belial)
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : people/men/nation/tribe
בֵּן (ben) — son.
: [inheriting]son/heir
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
בֵּן (ben) — son: warrior.
: warrior/son(strong)
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp1bs
זוּר (zuwr) is a Hebrew verb meaning to be a stranger or to become estranged. It can describe a person as strange or foreign, and it also has connotations of loathsomeness. The word can refer to committing adultery or being alienated, with its usage found in contexts involving estrangement or foreignness.
[זוּר] vb. be a stranger
Qal
Pf. become estranged
Pt. as adj. strange, or as noun stranger
Niph. Pf. be estranged
Hoph. Pt. estranged
H2114a זוּר be a stranger .. Pf. become estranged
. Pt. as adj. strange, or as noun stranger
. Pf. be estranged
. Pt. estranged
H2114b זוּר, זִיר be loathsome
2114 zuwr zoor
a primitive root; to turn aside (especially for lodging);
hence to be a foreigner, strange, profane; specifically
(active participle) to commit adultery:--(come from) another
(man, place), fanner, go away, (e-)strange(-r, thing, woman).
זוּר (zur) — be a stranger.
1) to be strange, be a stranger
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to become estranged
1a2) strange, another, stranger, foreigner, an enemy (participle)
1a3) strange woman, prostitute, harlot (meton)
1b) (Niphal) to be estranged
1c) (Hophal) to be a stranger, be one alienated
זוּר (zur) — be loathsome.
loathsome (of breath) (participle)
Prep | Adj — PrepositionHR/Aafsa
woom'-an ('ishshah, "a woman" (feminine of 'ish, "a man"]; gune, "a woman" "wife"):
I. IN THE CREATIVE PLAN
II. IN OLD TESTAMENT TIMES
1. Prominence of Women
2. Social Equality
3. Marriage Laws
4. Inheritance
5. Domestic Duties
6. Dress and Ornaments
7. Religious Devotion and Service
(1) in Idolatry and False Religion
(2) in Spiritual Religion
III. INTER-TESTAMENTAL ERA
IV. IN NEW TESTAMENT TIMES
1. Mary and Elisabeth
2. Jesus and Women
3. In the Early Church
4. Official Service
5. Widows
6. Deaconesses
IV. LATER TIMES
1. Changes in Character and Condition
2. Notable Examples of Christian Womanhood
3. Woman in the 20th Century
The generic term "man" includes woman. In the narrative of the creation (Ge 1:26,27) Adam is a collective term for mankind. It may signify human being, male or female, or humanity entire. "God said, Let us make man .... and let them"…
Woman
Was “taken out of man” (Gen. 2:23), and therefore the man has the preeminence. “The head of the woman is the man;” but yet honour is to be shown to the wife, “as unto the weaker vessel” (1 Cor. 11:3, 8, 9; 1 Pet. 3:7). Several women are mentioned in Scripture as having been endowed with prophetic gifts, as Miriam (Ex. 15:20), Deborah (Judg. 4:4, 5), Huldah (2 Kings 22:14), Noadiah (Neh. 6:14), Anna (Luke 2:36, 37), and the daughters of Philip the evangelist…
Is spoken of in Scripture as the beloved and honored companion and helpmeet, not the servant, of man, Ge 2:23,24, created as the necessary completion of man, Ge 3:16 1Co 11:3,8,9 14:34,35 1Ti 2:11-14, yet specially qualified for that sphere, and as necessary in it as man in his. Man and woman are indeed essentially one, the natural qualities of each so responding to those of the other as to lay the foundation of the most tender and abiding unity. The Bible thus raised the Jewish woman high above the woman of heathenism; and the Old Testament contains some of the finest portraitures of female character. But still greater is the contrast between the women of heathenism and…
חָבַק (chabaq) is a Hebrew verb meaning to clasp or embrace. It can refer to physically embracing someone or folding one's hands in idleness. The entries indicate its use in both the Qal and Piel stems, which express the action of embracing.
[חָבַק] vb. clasp, embrace
Qal embrace
Pi. embrace
base
H2263 חָבַק clasp, embrace
2263 chabaq khaw-bak'
a primitive root; to clasp (the hands or in
embrace):--embrace, fold.
חָבַק (cha.vaq) — to embrace.
1) to embrace, clasp
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to embrace
1a2) to fold one's hands in idleness (fig.)
1b) (Piel) to embrace
Conj | V-Piel-Imperf-2ms — Conjunction · verb piel second person masculine singularHC/Vpu2ms
em-bras': The word has two distinct meanings in the Old Testament:
(1) to clasp and hold fondly in the arms, pointing to a common custom (Ge 29:13; 33:4; 48:10; 2Ki 4:16; So 2:6; 8:3 compare Ac 20:10), and
(2) to have sexual intercourse (Pr 4:8; 5:20; Ec 3:5). It seems to have acquired this technical sense in later Jewish usage.
חֵיק (cheq) means 'bosom' and can refer to the literal or figurative sense of being enclosed, such as in the body or in garments. It encompasses meanings like embrace, lap, and secret, indicating a sense of intimacy or closeness. The entries suggest a range of uses, including physical and metaphorical contexts.
חֵיק, חֵק n.[m.] bosom
of fold of garment, at breast
carry in bosom
bosom as part of body
base
H2436 חֵיק, חֵק bosom
2436 cheyq khake
or cheq {khake}; and chowq {khoke}; from an unused root,
apparently meaning to inclose; the bosom (literally or
figuratively):--bosom, bottom, lap, midst, within.
חֵיק (cheq) — bosom: embrace.
: embrace/chest
bosom, hollow, bottom, midst
חֵיק (cheq) — bosom: garment.
: garment
bosom, hollow, bottom, midst
A sub-meaning of cheq (חֵיק ": embrace" H2436)
חֵיק (cheq) — bosom: lap.
: lap/base
bosom, hollow, bottom, midst
A sub-meaning of cheq (חֵיק ": embrace" H2436)
חֵיק (cheq) — bosom: secret.
: secret
bosom, hollow, bottom, midst
A sub-meaning of cheq (חֵיק ": embrace" H2436)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular constructHNcmsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
נָכְרִי (nokriy) means foreign or alien, covering a range of meanings from a foreign person to something unfamiliar or strange. It can also refer specifically to a foreign woman or harlot. The word is built from a root that suggests strangeness in various contexts.
נָכְרִי adj. foreign, alien
base
H5237 נָכְרִי foreign, alien
5237 nokriy nok-ree'
from 5235 (second form); strange, in a variety of degrees and
applications (foreign, non-relative, adulterous, different,
wonderful):--alien, foreigner, outlandish, strange(-r,
woman).
see HEBREW for 05235
נׇכְרִי (nokh.ri) — foreign.
1) foreign, alien
1a) foreign
1b) foreigner (subst)
1c) foreign woman, harlot
1d) unknown, unfamiliar (fig.)
Adj — AdjHAafsa
woom'-an ('ishshah, "a woman" (feminine of 'ish, "a man"]; gune, "a woman" "wife"):
I. IN THE CREATIVE PLAN
II. IN OLD TESTAMENT TIMES
1. Prominence of Women
2. Social Equality
3. Marriage Laws
4. Inheritance
5. Domestic Duties
6. Dress and Ornaments
7. Religious Devotion and Service
(1) in Idolatry and False Religion
(2) in Spiritual Religion
III. INTER-TESTAMENTAL ERA
IV. IN NEW TESTAMENT TIMES
1. Mary and Elisabeth
2. Jesus and Women
3. In the Early Church
4. Official Service
5. Widows
6. Deaconesses
IV. LATER TIMES
1. Changes in Character and Condition
2. Notable Examples of Christian Womanhood
3. Woman in the 20th Century
The generic term "man" includes woman. In the narrative of the creation (Ge 1:26,27) Adam is a collective term for mankind. It may signify human being, male or female, or humanity entire. "God said, Let us make man .... and let them"…
Woman
Was “taken out of man” (Gen. 2:23), and therefore the man has the preeminence. “The head of the woman is the man;” but yet honour is to be shown to the wife, “as unto the weaker vessel” (1 Cor. 11:3, 8, 9; 1 Pet. 3:7). Several women are mentioned in Scripture as having been endowed with prophetic gifts, as Miriam (Ex. 15:20), Deborah (Judg. 4:4, 5), Huldah (2 Kings 22:14), Noadiah (Neh. 6:14), Anna (Luke 2:36, 37), and the daughters of Philip the evangelist…
Is spoken of in Scripture as the beloved and honored companion and helpmeet, not the servant, of man, Ge 2:23,24, created as the necessary completion of man, Ge 3:16 1Co 11:3,8,9 14:34,35 1Ti 2:11-14, yet specially qualified for that sphere, and as necessary in it as man in his. Man and woman are indeed essentially one, the natural qualities of each so responding to those of the other as to lay the foundation of the most tender and abiding unity. The Bible thus raised the Jewish woman high above the woman of heathenism; and the Old Testament contains some of the finest portraitures of female character. But still greater is the contrast between the women of heathenism and…