Word Study for H4570 (מַעְגָּל)

maʻgâl /mah-gawl'/ Ask about this word

Rootor feminine מַעְגָּלָה · from the same as עָגֹל

Meaninga track (literally or figuratively); also a rampart (as circular)

KJV usagegoing, path, trench, way(-side).

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of maʻgâl — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word maʻgâl, represented by H4570, refers to a track, either in a literal or figurative sense. It appears 16 times across 16 unique verses. Its meaning encompasses a "path," "going," or "way," but it can also denote a literal, circular structure like a "trench" or "rampart."

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical usage, H4570 is applied in two distinct contexts. Figuratively, it represents the course of a person's life. The LORD leads his people in "the paths of righteousness" Psalms 23:3, and individuals are instructed to "Ponder the path of thy feet" Proverbs 4:26. This figurative track can lead toward righteousness or, conversely, toward ruin, as seen when a treacherous house has "paths unto the dead" Proverbs 2:18. Literally, it describes a circular military encampment, as when David came to the trench where Saul and his army were pitched (1 Samuel 17:20, 1 Samuel 26:5).

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the concept of a path or track:

H1870 derek (a road; figuratively, a course of life or mode of action): This word is a close synonym for a path or way and is often used alongside H4570 to describe the totality of a person's life course Proverbs 4:26.
H734 ʼôrach (a well-trodden road): Similar to derek, this term emphasizes a path. It is used to describe the "way of the just" which is weighed by God Isaiah 26:7.
H6424 pâlaç (to...ponder, weigh): This verb describes the action of carefully considering or making a path. It is used to command the wise to "Ponder" their path Proverbs 4:26 and to describe how the LORD "pondereth" all of a man's goings Proverbs 5:21.
H5410 nâthîyb (a (beaten) track): This word for a path is used to describe the "crooked paths" made by those who do not know peace Isaiah 59:8.

Theological Significance

The theological significance of H4570 centers on the journey of life and the choices that define it.

Divine Guidance and Provision: God leads the faithful in "paths of righteousness" Psalms 23:3 and teaches them in "right paths" Proverbs 4:11. These divine tracks are not only morally upright but also full of blessing, as His "paths drop fatness" Psalms 65:11.
Perilous and Deceptive Ways: The word is also used to warn against destructive courses. The ways of the wicked are crooked Proverbs 2:15, and their paths lead to the dead Proverbs 2:18. The "wayside" can be a place of danger where the proud hide snares for the righteous Psalms 140:5.
Human Accountability: There is a strong emphasis on personal responsibility in choosing one's path. Believers are commanded to weigh the path of their feet Proverbs 4:26, knowing that the LORD Himself "pondereth all his goings" Proverbs 5:21.

Summary

In summary, H4570 is a word with both literal and figurative depth. It functions as a powerful metaphor for the course of human life, contrasting the straight, righteous, and blessed tracks established by God with the crooked, deadly paths of wickedness. From a physical trench protecting an army to the spiritual journey of the soul, maʻgâl encapsulates the direction and nature of one's way.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 16 occurrences, inflected in 4 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

מַעְגְּלוֹתָ
מַּעְגָּל
מַעְגְּלֵי
מַעְגַּל

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 16 verses across 4 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Proverbs (7 verses); never once in the other 35.

1 Samuel

Psalms

Proverbs

Isaiah

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.