H0838a H0838a
Step, footstep, going; a poetic term for one's walk or course of life, always with possessive suffixes.
A feminine noun meaning 'step' or 'footstep,' used exclusively in poetry and wisdom literature to describe the path or manner of one's life. It always appears with pronominal suffixes — 'my steps,' 'his steps,' 'our steps' — never in the absolute form, giving it a deeply personal quality. Job declares his foot has held fast to God's steps (Job 23:11), the psalmist prays that his steps not slip (Ps 17:5), and the righteous man's steps do not falter because God's law is in his heart (Ps 37:31). The word connects physical walking with moral direction, making every footfall a statement of faithfulness or failure.
Senses
1. step, going, footstep — A step or footstep understood figuratively as one's course of life or moral direction. The Spanish 'pasos' (steps) and English 'steps' converge on the physical-to-ethical metaphor, while the French rendering 'marche' (walk, gait) emphasizes the ongoing nature of the journey. Every occurrence is poetic and suffixed: 'my steps' (Ps 17:5; 40:2; 44:18; 73:2), 'his steps' (Job 23:11; Ps 37:31), reflecting the intimate, personal nature of one's walk before God. Proverbs 14:15 extends the usage to wisdom — the prudent person considers their steps carefully. The consistent figurative application makes this a key lexeme in the biblical vocabulary of moral direction. 7×
AR["خُطواتي", "خُطُواتي", "خُطُواتُنا", "خُطُواتُهُ", "خُطُوَاتِي", "فِي-خُطُوَاتِهِ", "لِخَطْوَتِهِ"]·ben["আমার-পদক্ষেপ", "আমার-পদক্ষেপ।", "তাঁর-পদক্ষেপে", "তার-পদক্ষেপ", "তার-পদক্ষেপের-প্রতি", "পদক্ষেপ-আমাদের"]·DE["[באשרו]", "[לאשרו]", "mein-steps", "sein-steps", "unser-steps"]·EN["his-steps", "in-his-step", "my-steps", "our-steps"]·FR["dans-son-באשרו-lui", "heureux", "marche", "à-son-לאשרו-lui"]·heb["אשורי", "אשורי-ו", "אשורי-י", "אשורינ-ו", "ב-אשורו", "ל-אשורו"]·HI["उसके-कदमों-में", "कदम-उसके", "कदम-को", "कदम-हमारे", "कदमों-मेरे", "मेरे-कदम", "मेरे-कदमों-को"]·ID["langkahku", "langkahnya", "pada-langkah-Nya"]·IT["fuoco", "in-in-suo-step-suo", "per-suo-steps-suo"]·jav["ing-jangkah-Ipun", "jangkah", "jangkah-kawula", "jangkah-kita", "jangkah-kula", "jangkah-nipun", "lampah-kula"]·KO["그-걸음들-이", "그-의-걸음-을", "그의-발걸음에", "나-의-발걸음들-이", "내-걸음들-을", "발걸음들-을", "우리-걸음들-이"]·PT["Em-seus-passos", "meus-passos", "nossos-passos", "para-passo-dele", "seus-passos"]·RU["к-шагу-своему", "по-стопам-Его", "шаги-его", "шаги-мои", "шаги-наши"]·ES["En-su-paso", "el-paso-suyo", "mis-pasos", "nuestros-pasos", "sus-pasos"]·SW["Katika-hatua-zake", "hatua-zake", "hatua-zangu", "hatua-zetu"]·TR["adımları", "adımlarım", "adımlarımı", "adımlarımız", "adımında", "adımını-onun"]·urd["اُس-کے-قدم", "قدم-اپنے", "قدموں-اُس-کے-میں", "میرے-قدم", "ہمارے-قدم"]
Related Senses
H0935 1. come, arrive (Qal) (2413×)G1473 1. first person singular pronoun (2084×)H3318 1. Qal: go out, depart, come forth (891×)H7725 1. to return, come/go back (Qal) (874×)H5927 1. go up, ascend (Qal) (779×)H7971 1. to send, dispatch (Qal) (701×)G2064 1. come / arrive (physical movement toward) (588×)H5307 1. Qal: fall down physically (339×)H5375 1. Qal: to lift up, raise (330×)H5975 1. to stand, stand up (310×)H5674a 1. Qal: pass by, pass through (256×)H3381 1. Qal: to go down, descend (physical movement) (242×)G1831 1. go/come out physically (193×)H5337 1. deliver, rescue, save (Hifil) (188×)H7901 1. lie down, rest, sleep (183×)G1525 1. enter a place physically (179×)H7812 1. prostrate oneself, bow down, worship (173×)H3318 2. Hifil: bring out, lead out, take out (persons) (172×)H7725 2. to bring back, restore (Hifil) (151×)H5674a 2. Qal: cross over (134×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [אֲשׁוּר, אָשׁוּר] n.f. ψ 44:19 step, going (cf. Arabic إِثْرٌ, أَثَمٌ Ethiopic አሠር፡: footstep) only sf. אֲשֻׁרוֹ Jb 23:11 Pr 14:15; אֲשׁוּרַי ψ 17:5; אֲשֻׁרָ֑י ψ 40:3; 73:2; אֲשֻׁרֵנוּ ψ 44:19; אֲשֻׁרָיו ψ 37:31, all poet. & fig. of mode of life, etc.