מָשַׁל

mâshal /maw-shal'/ Ask about this word
Rootdenominative from מָשָׁל
Meaningto liken, i.e. (transitively) to use figurative language (an allegory, adage, song or the like); intransitively, to resemble
KJV usagebe(-come) like, compare, use (as a) proverb, speak (in proverbs), utter.
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Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word mâshal, represented by H4911, is a versatile term for using figurative language. It appears 16 times in 15 unique verses. Its definition includes the actions to liken, compare, use a proverb, or speak in parables. The word can be used transitively, as in uttering a parable, or intransitively, meaning to resemble or become like something else.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical usage, H4911 is prominent in the prophetic book of Ezekiel and the Psalms. The prophets were often commanded to utter a parable to convey a divine message to Israel Ezekiel 24:3. The people of Israel are also described as those who use proverbs, sometimes to express a flawed understanding that God seeks to correct Ezekiel 18:2. In the Psalms, the term is used to express a state of being; David pleads with the LORD not to be silent, lest he become like those who go down into the pit Psalms 28:1. Similarly, man in honor who lacks understanding is said to be like the beasts that perish (Psalms 49:12, Psalms 49:20).

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the function of H4911:

  • H1819 dâmâh (to compare, liken): This word is closely related and is used alongside H4911 to challenge idolatry, asking to whom God can be likened or compared Isaiah 46:5.
  • H2790 chârash (to be silent): This term provides a crucial contrast. In Psalms 28:1, David's fear is that if God is silent toward him, he will become like those in the pit, demonstrating a direct link between God's silence and this undesirable comparison.
  • H3381 yârad (to descend): This word often describes the destination in a comparison. In both Psalms 28:1 and Psalms 143:7, the psalmist fears becoming like those who go down into the pit, using this verb to describe the fate he wishes to avoid.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H4911 is significant, highlighting key scriptural themes.

  • Divine Communication: God uses parables and proverbs as a method of divine instruction. Ezekiel is commanded to speak a parable to the house of Israel, revealing God's plans and judgments through figurative stories (Ezekiel 17:2, Ezekiel 24:3).
  • Human Mortality: The term is used to make humbling comparisons about the human condition. A person without understanding is like the beasts that perish, emphasizing man's frailty when separated from wisdom Psalms 49:20. Job uses it to describe his own debased state, saying he has become like dust and ashes Job 30:19.
  • Confronting False Doctrine: The Lord directly addresses and refutes a proverb being used in Israel that misrepresented His justice, promising they would no longer have occasion to use it Ezekiel 18:3. This shows the power of proverbs to shape belief, for good or ill.
  • Dependence on God: The psalmist's prayer not to be like those in the pit if God hides His face reveals a deep theological truth: separation from God leads to a state resembling death Psalms 143:7.

Summary

In summary, H4911 is more than just a word for comparison; it is a fundamental concept in biblical communication. It encompasses the act of creating and using figurative language, from common proverbs to divinely-inspired parables. Through this term, scripture reveals God's truth, confronts human error, and expresses the profound realities of man's mortality and his utter dependence on God. It illustrates how the Bible uses likeness and resemblance to teach complex spiritual lessons.

Grammatical Forms

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb and a noun across 18 occurrences, inflected in 13 grammatical forms.

  • Niphal Consecutive Perfect 1st Singular common gender 2×
  • Niphal Perfect 3rd Singular Masculine 2×
  • Qal Imperative 2nd Singular Masculine 2×
  • Qal Infinitive Construct 2×
  • Qal Participle Plural Masculine Absolute 2×
  • Hiphil Conjunction+Imperfect 2nd Plural Masculine 1×
  • Hithpael Consecutive Imperfect 1st Singular common gender 1×
  • Niphal Perfect 2nd Singular Masculine 1×
  • Piel Participle Singular Masculine Absolute 1×
  • Plural Masculine Construct 1×
  • Qal Imperfect 3rd Plural Masculine 1×
  • Qal Imperfect 3rd Singular Masculine 1×

+ 1 rarer form

Singular
One.
Plural
More than one.
Masculine
Masculine grammatical gender.
common gender
Either gender — the form does not distinguish.
1st
First person — the speaker ("I"/"we").
2nd
Second person — the one addressed ("you").
3rd
Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Imperfect
Ongoing or repeated action in the past — "was doing".
Perfect
A completed act whose results continue.
Imperative
A command or entreaty.
Infinitive
The verb as a noun — "to do".
Participle
A verbal adjective — describes while carrying the verb's action.
Qal
The simple, basic stem — plain action in the active voice.
Niphal
Simple passive or reflexive of the Qal.
Piel
The intensive stem — strengthened or emphatic action.
Hiphil
The causative stem — the subject causes the action.
Hithpael
Reflexive-intensive — the subject acts upon itself.
Consecutive Imperfect
Imperfect with vav — carries narrative forward ("and he…").
Consecutive Perfect
Perfect with vav — continues a sequence into the future.
Conjunction+Imperfect
Imperfect joined by a simple "and".
Absolute
The independent form of a noun (not bound to another).
Construct
Bound to a following noun — "the X of…".

Theographic Context

Biblical Distribution

Appears in 15 verses across 5 books. Most frequent in Ezekiel (7 verses).

1
Numbers
1
Job
4
Psalms
2
Isaiah
7
Ezekiel

Verse Explorer

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