מָשָׁל
mâshâl · maw-shawl'
properly, a pithy maxim, usually of metaphorical nature; hence, a simile (as an adage, poem, discourse)
Lexicon
Derivation: apparently from H4910 (מָשַׁל) in some original sense of superiority in mental action;
properly, a pithy maxim, usually of metaphorical nature; hence, a simile (as an adage, poem, discourse)
- properly, a pithy maxim, usually of metaphorical nature
- hence, a simile (as an adage, poem, discourse)
Definition from Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890). Wording is Strong's own, including his etymological notes, which are not separate meanings.
KJV renderings: byword, like, parable, proverb.
Letters
- מMem40
Picture: waves of water
- Concrete
- water · sea · blood · liquid
- Extended
- chaos · mighty and uncontrollable · the masses · from / out of
- שShin300
Picture: two front teeth (or a composite bow)
- Concrete
- teeth · sharp · press · bow
- Extended
- to consume · to destroy · to press or grind · to change · again
- לLamed30
Picture: shepherd's staff or goad
- Concrete
- staff · goad · yoke · cattle prod
- Extended
- authority · to lead · to teach · to bind · toward
Possible cultural reading (auto-composed)
water, chaos, the mighty deep › to consume, to destroy › authority, the one who leads
Water, chaos, the mighty deep that works to consume, to destroy of authority, the one who leads.
Interpretive, not lexical. The dictionary sense of מָשָׁל above is the attested meaning; this pictographic reading is a tradition about how the sign-shapes may have been heard. Both can be held at once, they are answering different questions.
Usage
39 occurrences · 39 OT · 0 NT · 26 distinct forms
KJV renderings of this word, by how often each one is used.
- his parable9 · 23%
- a parable4 · 10%
- this proverb3 · 8%
- a proverb2 · 5%
- proverbs2 · 5%
- the proverbs2 · 5%
- so is a parable2 · 5%
- and a proverb2 · 5%
- therefore it became a proverb1 · 3%
- the proverb1 · 3%
- shall be a proverb1 · 3%
- it to be a proverb1 · 3%
- are like1 · 3%
- us a byword1 · 3%
- to a parable1 · 3%
- and i became a proverb1 · 3%
- in a parable1 · 3%
- these are also proverbs1 · 3%
- what is that proverb1 · 3%
- i will make this proverb1 · 3%
- parables1 · 3%
Where it is used, by book.
Inflected forms found in the text.
Counts are computed from the tagged Hebrew and Greek text aligned to the King James Version, not from an estimate.