Skip to content
The Historic Faith
Strong's Concordance
Hebrew Word Study

Strong's H3956 לָשׁוֹן (lashon)

Lashon means “tongue” — full meaning, definition, and every linked Bible usage across the indexed canon.

Same number, other testament: Strong's G3956 — pas (“whole”) in the Greek Bible.

Strong's Number H3956
Language Hebrew
Linked Usages 115
Books 22

Strong's H3956 Quick Answer

Strong's H3956 לָשׁוֹן לָשׁוֹן לְשׁוֹנָה (lashown) is a Hebrew Strong's word-study entry. lashown (law-shone') (or lashon {law-shone'} also (in plural) feminine lshonah {lesh-o-naw'};) n-m. 1. the tongue (of man or animals), used literally (as the instrument of licking, eating, or speech), and figuratively (speech, an ingot, a fork of flame, a cove of water) [from... It has 115 linked Bible usages across 22 books. Visible English usage signals include tongue, man, their, and also.

Indexed coverage on this page includes Old Testament.

Meaning
lashown (law-shone') (or lashon {law-shone'} also (in plural) feminine lshonah {lesh-o-naw'};) n-m. 1. the tongue (of man or animals), used literally (as the instrument of licking, eating, or speech), and figuratively (speech, an ingot, a fork of flame, a cove of water) [from...
Usage
115 linked usages
Books
22 indexed books
Corpus
Old Testament
Usage Words
tongue, man, their, and also

Meaning and Definition

lashown (law-shone') (or lashon {law-shone'} also (in plural) feminine lshonah {lesh-o-naw'};) n-m. 1. the tongue (of man or animals), used literally (as the instrument of licking, eating, or speech), and figuratively (speech, an ingot, a fork of flame, a cove of water) [from H3960] KJV: + babbler,bay, + evil speaker, language, talker, tongue, wedge. Root(s): H3960

Original Word
לָשׁוֹן לָשׁוֹן לְשׁוֹנָה
Transliteration
lashown
Derivation
First root strongs: 3960
Morphology
noun masc

Across Lexicons

How independent scholarly lexicons define Strong's H3956. Each definition is shown with its source so you can compare and cite the original reference works.

Extended Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (Brown-Driver-Briggs based)

tongue

Usage: : tongue/words 1) tongue 1a) tongue (of men) 1a1) tongue (literal) 1a2) tongue (organ of speech) 1b) language 1c) tongue (of animals) 1d) tongue (of fire) 1e) wedge, bay of sea (tongue-shaped)

STEPBible · Tyndale House, Cambridge · CC BY 4.0

How Strong's H3956 Is Translated

The English word each shown verse actually uses to render lashown, taken from the interlinear word alignment (the same word underlined in the excerpts below). Where a rendering is used more than once, the count is shown.

tongue Exodus 4:10 86× man Esther 1:22 also Psalms 71:24 their Genesis 10:20

How Strong's H3956 Usage Compares

Indexed coverage includes Old Testament. Each section below keeps corpus counts and sample passages visible so readers can compare the word across contexts instead of reading one flat concordance list.

  • The largest indexed corpus on this page is Old Testament with 115 linked usages.
  • The linked rows are Old Testament Hebrew usage, grouped by book for fast canonical scanning.

Strong's H3956 by Corpus

Indexed usage grouped by testament and extended corpus so readers can compare this word across the Bible, Septuagint, deuterocanonical books, and 1 Enoch where present.

Strong's H3956 in the Old Testament

115 indexed usages in Old Testament.

Genesis 10:5 KJV

By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.

Genesis 10:20 KJV

These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations.

Genesis 10:31 KJV

These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations.

Usage Excerpts

First 115 linked usage excerpts for Strong's H3956.

Genesis 10:5 Old Testament, KJV
By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.
Genesis 10:20 Old Testament, KJV
These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations.
Genesis 10:31 Old Testament, KJV
These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations.
Exodus 4:10 Old Testament, KJV
And Moses said unto the LORD, O my LORD, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.
Exodus 11:7 Old Testament, KJV
But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.
Deuteronomy 28:49 Old Testament, KJV
The LORD shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand;
Joshua 7:21 Old Testament, KJV
When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.
Joshua 7:24 Old Testament, KJV
And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor.
Joshua 10:21 Old Testament, KJV
And all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace: none moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel.
Joshua 15:2 Old Testament, KJV
And their south border was from the shore of the salt sea, from the bay that looketh southward:
Joshua 15:5 Old Testament, KJV
And the east border was the salt sea, even unto the end of Jordan. And their border in the north quarter was from the bay of the sea at the uttermost part of Jordan:
Joshua 18:19 Old Testament, KJV
And the border passed along to the side of Bethhoglah northward: and the outgoings of the border were at the north bay of the salt sea at the south end of Jordan: this was the south coast.
Judges 7:5 Old Testament, KJV
So he brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink.
2 Samuel 23:2 Old Testament, KJV
The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.
Nehemiah 13:24 Old Testament, KJV
And their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the language of each people.
Esther 1:22 Old Testament, KJV
For he sent letters into all the king's provinces, into every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language, that every man should bear rule in his own house, and that it should be published according to the language of every people.
Esther 3:12 Old Testament, KJV
Then were the king's scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king's ring.
Esther 8:9 Old Testament, KJV
Then were the king's scribes called at that time in the third month, that is, the month Sivan, on the three and twentieth day thereof; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded unto the Jews, and to the lieutenants, and the deputies and rulers of the provinces which are from India unto Ethiopia, an hundred twenty and seven provinces, unto every province according to the writing thereof, and unto every people after their language, and to the Jews according to their writing, and according to their language.
Job 5:21 Old Testament, KJV
Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue: neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh.
Job 6:30 Old Testament, KJV
Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my taste discern perverse things?
Job 15:5 Old Testament, KJV
For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.
Job 20:12 Old Testament, KJV
Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue;
Job 20:16 Old Testament, KJV
He shall suck the poison of asps: the viper's tongue shall slay him.
Job 27:4 Old Testament, KJV
My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit.
Job 29:10 Old Testament, KJV
The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.
Job 33:2 Old Testament, KJV
Behold, now I have opened my mouth, my tongue hath spoken in my mouth.
Job 41:1 Old Testament, KJV
Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down?
Psalms 5:9 Old Testament, KJV
For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.
Psalms 10:7 Old Testament, KJV
His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity.
Psalms 12:3 Old Testament, KJV
The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things:
Psalms 12:4 Old Testament, KJV
Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?
Psalms 15:3 Old Testament, KJV
He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.
Psalms 22:15 Old Testament, KJV
My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.
Psalms 31:20 Old Testament, KJV
Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.
Psalms 34:13 Old Testament, KJV
Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.
Psalms 35:28 Old Testament, KJV
And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.
Psalms 37:30 Old Testament, KJV
The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.
Psalms 39:1 Old Testament, KJV
I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.
Psalms 39:3 Old Testament, KJV
My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue,
Psalms 45:1 Old Testament, KJV
My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.
Psalms 50:19 Old Testament, KJV
Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit.
Psalms 51:14 Old Testament, KJV
Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
Psalms 52:2 Old Testament, KJV
The tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
Psalms 52:4 Old Testament, KJV
Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue.
Psalms 55:9 Old Testament, KJV
Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.
Psalms 57:4 Old Testament, KJV
My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.
Psalms 64:3 Old Testament, KJV
Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:
Psalms 64:8 Old Testament, KJV
So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves: all that see them shall flee away.
Psalms 66:17 Old Testament, KJV
I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue.
Psalms 68:23 Old Testament, KJV
That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thine enemies, and the tongue of thy dogs in the same.
Psalms 71:24 Old Testament, KJV
My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long: for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shame, that seek my hurt.
Psalms 73:9 Old Testament, KJV
They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.
Psalms 78:36 Old Testament, KJV
Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues.
Psalms 109:2 Old Testament, KJV
For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me: they have spoken against me with a lying tongue.
Psalms 119:172 Old Testament, KJV
My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness.
Psalms 120:2 Old Testament, KJV
Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue.
Psalms 120:3 Old Testament, KJV
What shall be given unto thee? or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue?
Psalms 126:2 Old Testament, KJV
Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them.
Psalms 137:6 Old Testament, KJV
If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.
Psalms 139:4 Old Testament, KJV
For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.
Psalms 140:3 Old Testament, KJV
They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah.
Psalms 140:11 Old Testament, KJV
Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.
Proverbs 6:17 Old Testament, KJV
A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
Proverbs 6:24 Old Testament, KJV
To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.
Proverbs 10:20 Old Testament, KJV
The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.
Proverbs 10:31 Old Testament, KJV
The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out.
Proverbs 12:18 Old Testament, KJV
There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.
Proverbs 12:19 Old Testament, KJV
The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.
Proverbs 15:2 Old Testament, KJV
The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.
Proverbs 15:4 Old Testament, KJV
A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.
Proverbs 16:1 Old Testament, KJV
The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD.
Proverbs 17:4 Old Testament, KJV
A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue.
Proverbs 17:20 Old Testament, KJV
He that hath a froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.
Proverbs 18:21 Old Testament, KJV
Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
Proverbs 21:6 Old Testament, KJV
The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death.
Proverbs 21:23 Old Testament, KJV
Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.
Proverbs 25:15 Old Testament, KJV
By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone.
Proverbs 25:23 Old Testament, KJV
The north wind driveth away rain: so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue.
Proverbs 26:28 Old Testament, KJV
A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.
Proverbs 28:23 Old Testament, KJV
He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth with the tongue.
Proverbs 31:26 Old Testament, KJV
She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
Ecclesiastes 10:11 Old Testament, KJV
Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.
Song of Solomon 4:11 Old Testament, KJV
Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as the honeycomb: honey and milk are under thy tongue; and the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon.
Isaiah 3:8 Old Testament, KJV
For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings are against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of his glory.
Isaiah 5:24 Old Testament, KJV
Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
Isaiah 11:15 Old Testament, KJV
And the LORD shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dryshod.
Isaiah 28:11 Old Testament, KJV
For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
Isaiah 30:27 Old Testament, KJV
Behold, the name of the LORD cometh from far, burning with his anger, and the burden thereof is heavy: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire:
Isaiah 32:4 Old Testament, KJV
The heart also of the rash shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly.
Isaiah 33:19 Old Testament, KJV
Thou shalt not see a fierce people, a people of a deeper speech than thou canst perceive; of a stammering tongue, that thou canst not understand.
Isaiah 35:6 Old Testament, KJV
Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.
Isaiah 41:17 Old Testament, KJV
When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the LORD will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.
Isaiah 45:23 Old Testament, KJV
I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.
Isaiah 50:4 Old Testament, KJV
The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.
Isaiah 54:17 Old Testament, KJV
No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.
Isaiah 57:4 Old Testament, KJV
Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make ye a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue? are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood.
Isaiah 59:3 Old Testament, KJV
For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness.
Isaiah 66:18 Old Testament, KJV
For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory.
Jeremiah 5:15 Old Testament, KJV
Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith the LORD: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say.
Jeremiah 9:3 Old Testament, KJV
And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the LORD.
Jeremiah 9:5 Old Testament, KJV
And they will deceive every one his neighbour, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity.
Jeremiah 9:8 Old Testament, KJV
Their tongue is as an arrow shot out; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but in heart he layeth his wait.
Jeremiah 18:18 Old Testament, KJV
Then said they, Come and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.
Jeremiah 23:31 Old Testament, KJV
Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use their tongues, and say, He saith.
Lamentations 4:4 Old Testament, KJV
The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the young children ask bread, and no man breaketh it unto them.
Ezekiel 3:5 Old Testament, KJV
For thou art not sent to a people of a strange speech and of an hard language, but to the house of Israel;
Ezekiel 3:6 Old Testament, KJV
Not to many people of a strange speech and of an hard language, whose words thou canst not understand. Surely, had I sent thee to them, they would have hearkened unto thee.
Ezekiel 3:26 Old Testament, KJV
And I will make thy tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth, that thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be to them a reprover: for they are a rebellious house.
Ezekiel 36:3 Old Testament, KJV
Therefore prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because they have made you desolate, and swallowed you up on every side, that ye might be a possession unto the residue of the heathen, and ye are taken up in the lips of talkers, and are an infamy of the people:
Daniel 1:4 Old Testament, KJV
Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.
Hosea 7:16 Old Testament, KJV
They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.
Micah 6:12 Old Testament, KJV
For the rich men thereof are full of violence, and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.
Zephaniah 3:13 Old Testament, KJV
The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.
Zechariah 8:23 Old Testament, KJV
Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.
Zechariah 14:12 Old Testament, KJV
And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.

All Indexed Usage Links

Every indexed verse link for Strong's H3956, grouped by book.

Genesis 3 usages, Old Testament
Exodus 2 usages, Old Testament
Deuteronomy 1 usage, Old Testament
Joshua 6 usages, Old Testament
Judges 1 usage, Old Testament
2 Samuel 1 usage, Old Testament
Nehemiah 1 usage, Old Testament
Esther 3 usages, Old Testament
Job 9 usages, Old Testament
Psalms 35 usages, Old Testament
Proverbs 19 usages, Old Testament
Ecclesiastes 1 usage, Old Testament
Song of Solomon 1 usage, Old Testament
Isaiah 15 usages, Old Testament
Jeremiah 6 usages, Old Testament
Lamentations 1 usage, Old Testament
Ezekiel 4 usages, Old Testament
Daniel 1 usage, Old Testament
Hosea 1 usage, Old Testament
Micah 1 usage, Old Testament
Zephaniah 1 usage, Old Testament
Zechariah 2 usages, Old Testament

Strong's H3956 FAQ

What does lashon (לָשׁוֹן) mean?

Lashon (Strong's H3956) is a Hebrew word most simply glossed "tongue". lashown (law-shone') (or lashon {law-shone'} also (in plural) feminine lshonah {lesh-o-naw'};) n-m. 1. the tongue (of man or animals), used literally (as the instrument of licking, eating, or speech), and figuratively (speech, an ingot, a fork of flame, a cove of water) [from...

How many times is lashon (לָשׁוֹן) used in the Bible?

This page currently indexes 115 linked usages for Strong's H3956 across 22 books.

Where can I study lashon (לָשׁוֹן) in context?

Use the linked verse references on this page to study Strong's H3956 in context. The indexed coverage includes Old Testament.

What English words translate lashon (לָשׁוֹן)?

The visible usage excerpts most often surface English words such as tongue, man, their, and also. These are scanning signals from the displayed verses, not replacements for the original-language definition.