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Strong's Concordance
Hebrew Word Study

Strong's H4912 מָשָׁל (mashal)

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

Same number, other testament: Strong's G4912 — synecho (“hold”) in the Greek Bible.

Strong's Number H4912
Language Hebrew
Linked Usages 39
Books 14

Strong's H4912 Quick Answer

Strong's H4912 מָשָׁל (mashal) is a Hebrew Strong's word-study entry. mashal (maw-shawl') n-m. 1. (properly) a pithy maxim, usually of metaphorical nature 2. (hence) a simile (as an adage, poem, discourse) It has 39 linked Bible usages across 14 books. Visible English usage signals include parable, proverb, said, israel, and son. Indexed coverage on this page includes Old Testament.

Meaning
mashal (maw-shawl') n-m. 1. (properly) a pithy maxim, usually of metaphorical nature 2. (hence) a simile (as an adage, poem, discourse)
Usage
39 linked usages
Books
14 indexed books
Corpus
Old Testament
Usage Words
parable, proverb, said, israel, and son

Meaning and Definition

mashal (maw-shawl') n-m. 1. (properly) a pithy maxim, usually of metaphorical nature 2. (hence) a simile (as an adage, poem, discourse) [apparently from H4910 in some original sense of superiority in mental action] KJV: byword, like, parable, proverb. Root(s): H4910

Original Word
מָשָׁל
Transliteration
mashal
Derivation
Root: משׁל First root strongs: 4910
Morphology
noun masc

Across Lexicons

How independent scholarly lexicons define Strong's H4912. 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)

proverb

Usage: 1) proverb, parable 1a) proverb, proverbial saying, aphorism 1b) byword 1c) similitude, parable 1d) poem 1e) sentences of ethical wisdom, ethical maxims

STEPBible · Tyndale House, Cambridge · CC BY 4.0

English Usage Signals

Frequent English words from the visible usage excerpts. These are not a replacement for the original-language definition, but they make the usage pattern easier to scan.

parable proverb said israel son took out among lord say man god

How Strong's H4912 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 39 linked usages.
  • The linked rows are Old Testament Hebrew usage, grouped by book for fast canonical scanning.

Strong's H4912 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 H4912 in the Old Testament

39 indexed usages in Old Testament.

Numbers 23:7 KJV

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 23:18 KJV

And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:

Numbers 24:3 KJV

And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:

Usage Excerpts

First 39 linked usage excerpts for Strong's H4912.

Numbers 23:7 Old Testament, KJV
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 23:18 Old Testament, KJV
And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:
Numbers 24:3 Old Testament, KJV
And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:
Numbers 24:15 Old Testament, KJV
And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:
Numbers 24:20 Old Testament, KJV
And 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.
Numbers 24:21 Old Testament, KJV
And 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 24:23 Old Testament, KJV
And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this!
Deuteronomy 28:37 Old Testament, KJV
And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all nations whither the LORD shall lead thee.
1 Samuel 10:12 Old Testament, KJV
And one of the same place answered and said, But who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets?
1 Samuel 24:13 Old Testament, KJV
As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.
1 Kings 4:32 Old Testament, KJV
And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five.
1 Kings 9:7 Old Testament, KJV
Then 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:
2 Chronicles 7:20 Old Testament, KJV
Then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have sanctified for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and will make it to be a proverb and a byword among all nations.
Job 13:12 Old Testament, KJV
Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.
Job 27:1 Old Testament, KJV
Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,
Job 29:1 Old Testament, KJV
Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,
Psalms 44:14 Old Testament, KJV
Thou makest us a byword among the heathen, a shaking of the head among the people.
Psalms 49:4 Old Testament, KJV
I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp.
Psalms 69:11 Old Testament, KJV
I made sackcloth also my garment; and I became a proverb to them.
Psalms 78:2 Old Testament, KJV
I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:
Proverbs 1:1 Old Testament, KJV
The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;
Proverbs 1:6 Old Testament, KJV
To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
Proverbs 10:1 Old Testament, KJV
The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.
Proverbs 25:1 Old Testament, KJV
These are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.
Proverbs 26:7 Old Testament, KJV
The legs of the lame are not equal: so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
Proverbs 26:9 Old Testament, KJV
As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouths of fools.
Ecclesiastes 12:9 Old Testament, KJV
And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.
Isaiah 14:4 Old Testament, KJV
That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!
Jeremiah 24:9 Old Testament, KJV
And I will deliver them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth for their hurt, to be a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse, in all places whither I shall drive them.
Ezekiel 12:22 Old Testament, KJV
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 12:23 Old Testament, KJV
Tell 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 14:8 Old Testament, KJV
And 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 17:2 Old Testament, KJV
Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel;
Ezekiel 18:2 Old Testament, KJV
What 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 18:3 Old Testament, KJV
As I live, saith the Lord GOD, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel.
Ezekiel 20:49 Old Testament, KJV
Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! they say of me, Doth he not speak parables?
Ezekiel 24:3 Old Testament, KJV
And 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:
Micah 2:4 Old Testament, KJV
In that day shall one take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, and say, We be utterly spoiled: he hath changed the portion of my people: how hath he removed it from me! turning away he hath divided our fields.
Habakkuk 2:6 Old Testament, KJV
Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay!

All Indexed Usage Links

Every indexed verse link for Strong's H4912, grouped by book.

Numbers 7 usages, Old Testament
Deuteronomy 1 usage, Old Testament
1 Samuel 2 usages, Old Testament
1 Kings 2 usages, Old Testament
2 Chronicles 1 usage, Old Testament
Job 3 usages, Old Testament
Psalms 4 usages, Old Testament
Proverbs 6 usages, Old Testament
Ecclesiastes 1 usage, Old Testament
Isaiah 1 usage, Old Testament
Jeremiah 1 usage, Old Testament
Ezekiel 8 usages, Old Testament
Micah 1 usage, Old Testament
Habakkuk 1 usage, Old Testament

Strong's H4912 FAQ

What does mashal (מָשָׁל) mean?

Mashal (Strong's H4912) is a Hebrew word most simply glossed "byword". mashal (maw-shawl') n-m. 1. (properly) a pithy maxim, usually of metaphorical nature 2. (hence) a simile (as an adage, poem, discourse)

How many times is mashal (מָשָׁל) used in the Bible?

This page currently indexes 39 linked usages for Strong's H4912 across 14 books.

Where can I study mashal (מָשָׁל) in context?

Use the linked verse references on this page to study Strong's H4912 in context. The indexed coverage includes Old Testament.

What English words translate mashal (מָשָׁל)?

The visible usage excerpts most often surface English words such as parable, proverb, said, israel, son, and took. These are scanning signals from the displayed verses, not replacements for the original-language definition.