Stumbled (4350) (proskopto [word study] from prós = to, against + kópto = cut, strike) means literally to strike against and so to dash against something as one's foot against a stone. Proskopto in its literal use pictures a traveler who bumps against an obstacle and is caused to stumble. Most of the NT passages use proskopto in a figurative sense, so that here in Romans Paul pictures Israel stumbling spiritually. Proskopto is used 8 times and is translated (NAS) as beat upon, 1; dash, 2; stumble, 3; stumble at, 2; NAS (8) - slammed against, 1; strike, 2; stumble, 2; stumbled over, 1; stumbles, 2; Matthew 4:6 and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God throw Yourself down; for it is written, 'He will give His angels charge concerning You'; and 'On their hands they will bear You up, Lest You strike Your foot against a stone.'" Matthew 7:27 (note) (Jesus in His closing warning in the Sermon on the Mount) "And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and it fell, and great was its fall." Luke 4:11 and, 'On their hands they will bear You up, Lest You strike Your foot against a stone.'" (Note that this verse and Mt 4:6 give the devil's version of Ps 91:11-12 which correctly reads "For He will give His angels charge concerning you, To guard you in all your ways. They will bear you up in their hands, Lest you strike your foot against a stone." In the "devil's version" note that he quoted it out of context leaving out the phrase "in all your ways". The idea is that such a one's "ways" would be in the will of and pleasing to God. To jump off the pinnacle of the Temple was not God's will for His Son -- the Cross was His will.) John 11:9 Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 "But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him." (Jesus uses proskopto with a literal meaning while at the same time conveying a spiritual truth "the light is not in him") Romans 9:32 (note) Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone, (Comment: Thayer remarks that the idea of prokopto here is that "the Jews are said to have recoiled from Jesus as one who failed to meet their ideas of the Messiah". In short Israel for the most part failed to recognize the role of Jesus the Messiah in God's plan of salvation and they took offense at and stumbled over the Rock Who is Jesus.) Romans 14:21 (note) It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother stumbles. (Comment: The idea here is to make a misstep. Thayer remarks that this means "to be made to stumble by a thing, i.e., metaphorically, to be induced to sin. Since we are angry with an obstacle in our path which we have struck and hurt our foot against, one is tropically said to stumble at, a person or thing which highly displeases him." Believers will have different convictions about matters on which Scripture is silent. Each of us is free to follow his or her conscience in such matters. But we are never free to influence others to act against their personal convictions and thus cause them to stumble into sin.) 1 Peter 2:8 (note) and, "A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense" (Jesus is the "Stone" and the "Rock"); for they stumble because they are disobedient (refused to believe and obey) to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed. Proskopto - 9x in the non-apocryphal Septuagint (LXX) - Ps. 91:12; Pr. 3:6, 23; 4:19; Isa. 3:5; Jer. 13:16; Da 11:14, 19, 33. Proverbs 3:23 Then you will walk in your way securely, And your foot will not stumble (Lxx = proskopto). Proverbs 4:19 The way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know over what they stumble (Lxx = proskopto). Jeremiah 13:16 Give glory to the LORD your God, Before He brings darkness And before your feet stumble (Lxx = proskopto) On the dusky mountains, And while you are hoping for light He makes it into deep darkness, And turns it into gloom. NIDNTT adds that... The verb proskopto (from Aristophanes onwards), derived from kopto, smite, strike, beat, knock (from Homer onwards), means transitively to strike or knock against; intransitively to knock oneself against, trip, or fall. Metaphorically it means both to give and to take offense. (Brown, Colin, Editor. New International Dictionary of NT Theology. 1986. Zondervan or Computer version) TDNT has the following summary of prokopto... 1. Literally, this word means “to strike,” “to dash against.” Intransitively it means “to stumble against,” “bump,” “slip,” “fall,” “suffer harm,” “perish.” 2. In a transferred sense, proskopto means “to give offense,” “to cause displeasure,” or “to take offense,” “to be annoyed or enraged,” “to experience displeasure.” (Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. Eerdmans or Wordsearch) Stone (3037) (lithos) was used in classic Greek to describe stones of every sort (even including fine, precious stones). The OT equivalent word is 'Eben which was part of the familiar Hebrew word "Ebenezer" which means "Stone of Help." (See also Jehovah Ezer: The LORD our Helper) How sad that the Jews had so many pictures and shadows of Messiah and yet for the most part refused to believe in Him (this is true of both Old and New Testament Jews). Seven centuries earlier, the prophet Isaiah had predicted the stumbling that Paul is describing in Romans 9:32... It is the Lord of hosts (Jehovah Sabaoth, LORD of hosts or of armies) Whom you should regard as holy. And He shall be your fear, and He shall be your dread. 14 Then He shall become a sanctuary (As a result of a reverential fear and a choice to trust in Messiah, God would become a place to worship and experience fellowship for the believing Jewish remnant - most of Israel in the OT choose not believe in Messiah and so the latter part of this passage describes their tragic fate and eternal end!); but to both the houses of Israel (Northern and Southern Kingdoms), a Stone to strike and a Rock to stumble over, and a snare and a trap for the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 15 Many will stumble over them. Then they will fall and be broken. They will even be snared and caught.” (Isaiah 8:13-15-note). Comment: The Stone either saves or stumbles. What about you dear reader - is Messiah your Stone of Help or your Stone of Stumbling? I pray you choose His help for..."behold, now is "THE ACCEPTABLE TIME," behold, now is "THE DAY OF SALVATION" (2Cor 6:2) Related Topic - See Passages that describe Messiah as a Stone or Rock Absorbed in their own efforts, the Israelites did not (or refused to) recognize that Christ the Stone described even in their own OT prophecies was the sure foundation for eternal life, and as a result they fell headlong over Him. The point of all this argument is to reiterate that God's rejection of Israel was not an arbitrary decision on His part, but was based on Israel's rejection of God's only provision (faith in Christ) for securing righteousness. Romans 9:33 just as it is written, "BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED." (NASB: Lockman) Greek: kathos gegraptai 3SRPI, Idou (AMM) tithemi (1SPAI) en Sion liqon proskommatos kai petran skandalou, kai o pisteuon (PAPMSN) ep' auto ou kataischunthesetai. (3SFPI) Amplified: As it is written, Behold I am laying in Zion a Stone that will make men stumble, a Rock that will make them fall; but he who believes in Him [who adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Him] shall not be put to shame nor be disappointed in his expectations. [Isa 28:16.] (Amplified Bible - Lockman) Barclay: even as it stands written: “I have set in Zion a stone which makes men stumble, and a rock which makes them trip. And he who believes in him will not be put to shame.” (Westminster Press) ESV: as it is written, "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame." (ESV) ICB: As it is written in the Scripture: "I will put in Jerusalem a stone that causes people to stumble. It is a rock that makes them fall. Anyone who trusts in him will not be disappointed." Isaiah 8:14; 28:16 (ICB: Nelson) NIV: As it is written: "See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame." (NIV - IBS) NKJV: As it is written: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." NLT: God warned them of this in the Scriptures when he said, "I am placing a stone in Jerusalem that causes people to stumble, and a rock that makes them fall. But anyone who believes in him will not be disappointed." (NLT - Tyndale House) Phillips: the scripture mentions: 'Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offence, and whoever believes on him will not be put to shame'. (Phillips: Touchstone) Wuest: even as it stands written, Behold, I place in Sion a stone, a stumbling stone, and a rock of offense. And the one who places his faith upon Him will not be put to shame. (Eerdmans) Young's Literal: according as it hath been written, 'Lo, I place in Sion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence; and every one who is believing thereon shall not be ashamed.' "Copy and paste the address below into your web browser in order to go to the original page which will allow you to access live links related to the material on this page - these links include Scriptures (which can be read in context), Scripture pop-ups on mouse over, and a variety of related resources such as Bible dictionary articles, commentaries, sermon notes and theological journal articles related to the topic under discussion." http://www.preceptaustin.org/romans_929-33.htm#stumbled