Strong's H4912 · Hebrew
מָשָׁל
mâshâl · /maw-shawl'/
Definition
properly, a pithy maxim, usually of metaphorical nature; hence, a simile (as an adage, poem, discourse)
KJV: byword, like, parable, proverb.
Root / derivation: apparently from H4910 (מָשַׁל) in some original sense of superiority in mental action;
KJV usage breakdown
How the Authorized (KJV) translators rendered מָשָׁל across 39 verses.
Every occurrence (KJV)
39 verses use this word, grouped by book — the translated form is highlighted.
Numbers7 verses
And he took up his parable, and said, Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel.
Numbers 23:18And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:
Numbers 24:3And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said: whose: Heb. who had his eyes shut, but now opened
Numbers 24:15And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:
Numbers 24:20And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever. the nations: the nations that warred against Israel that: or, even to destruction
Numbers 24:21And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwellingplace, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock.
Numbers 24:23And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this!
Deuteronomy1 verse
1 Samuel2 verses
1 Kings2 verses
And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five.
1 Kings 9:7Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people:
Job3 verses
Psalms4 verses
Thou makest us a byword among the heathen, a shaking of the head among the people.
Psalms 49:4I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp.
Psalms 69:11I made sackcloth also my garment; and I became a proverb to them.
Psalms 78:2I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:
Proverbs6 verses
The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;
Proverbs 1:6To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings. the interpretation: or, an eloquent speech
Proverbs 10:1The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.
Proverbs 25:1These are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.
Proverbs 26:7The legs of the lame are not equal: so is a parable in the mouth of fools. are: Heb. are lifted up
Proverbs 26:9As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
Ezekiel8 verses
Son of man, what is that proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying, The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth?
Ezekiel 12:23Tell them therefore, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will make this proverb to cease, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel; but say unto them, The days are at hand, and the effect of every vision.
Ezekiel 14:8And I will set my face against that man, and will make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of my people; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
Ezekiel 17:2Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel;
Ezekiel 18:2What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge?
Ezekiel 18:3As I live, saith the Lord GOD, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel.
Ezekiel 20:49Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! they say of me, Doth he not speak parables?
Ezekiel 24:3And utter a parable unto the rebellious house, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Set on a pot, set it on, and also pour water into it:
Topics that use this word
Frequently asked questions
What does Strong's H4912 (mâshâl) mean?
properly, a pithy maxim, usually of metaphorical nature; hence, a simile (as an adage, poem, discourse)
How many times does H4912 appear in the Bible?
Strong's H4912 (מָשָׁל) appears in 39 verses of the King James Version, most often translated “parable.”
How is mâshâl translated in the KJV?
In the KJV, Strong's H4912 is rendered as “parable” (17×), “proverb” (14×), “proverbs” (5×), “byword” (1×), among other words.
Where does the Hebrew word מָשָׁל come from?
apparently from H4910 (מָשַׁל) in some original sense of superiority in mental action;