### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **makshêlâh**, represented by `{{H4384}}`, is a figurative term for a **stumbling-block** or **ruin**. Though it appears only **2 times** in **2 unique verses**, it carries significant weight, referring to an enticement, an idol, or the resulting downfall and devastation.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The two uses of `{{H4384}}` in scripture illustrate both the cause and the effect of divine judgment. In Zephaniah, it is used as "**stumblingblocks**" that God will "consume" from the earth along "with the wicked" [[Zephaniah 1:3]], identifying it as an object of God's wrath. In Isaiah, it is translated as "**ruin**," describing a state of societal collapse so complete that a man is asked to take leadership over it, highlighting the desperate condition of the people [[Isaiah 3:6]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help clarify the context of judgment and ruin associated with `{{H4384}}`:
* `{{H5486}}` **çûwph** (to snatch away, i.e. terminate; consume, have an end, perish): This word is used in the same breath as `{{H4384}}`, where the Lord declares He will **consume** the stumblingblocks [[Zephaniah 1:3]], emphasizing their complete removal.
* `{{H7563}}` **râshâʻ** (morally wrong; concretely, an (actively) bad person): The stumblingblocks are explicitly linked to the **wicked**, who are removed together, showing that these obstacles are tied to moral wrongdoing [[Zephaniah 1:3]].
* `{{H3772}}` **kârath** (to cut (off, down or asunder); by implication, to destroy or consume): This term appears in the same declaration of judgment, where God promises to **cut off** man from the land, framing the removal of stumblingblocks as part of a final, destructive act [[Zephaniah 1:3]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H4384}}` is centered on the concepts of sin and judgment.
* **Objects of Divine Judgment:** The word identifies things that provoke God's action. The "stumblingblocks" are not passive objects but are actively targeted for destruction alongside the wicked, signifying they are a source of offense [[Zephaniah 1:3]].
* **The Result of Collapse:** It serves as a label for the aftermath of sin. The "ruin" in Isaiah is the tangible result of a society's failure, a state of devastation that is a burden to govern [[Isaiah 3:6]].
* **Figurative Enticement:** As a stumbling-block or enticement, the term points to the spiritual and moral obstacles that cause people to fall, leading directly to the ruin that the word also describes.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H4384}}` is a potent term that connects the cause of a fall with its devastating consequence. It encapsulates both the moral "stumbling-block" that leads people astray and the physical or societal "ruin" that follows as a result of divine judgment. It powerfully illustrates how spiritual corruption is linked to tangible destruction.
TRV