H1982 H1982
traveler, wayfarer; or possibly 'flowing' (of honey)
This word likely means traveler or wayfarer. In 2 Samuel 12:4, Nathan's parable describes 'a traveler' arriving at the rich man's house, prompting the theft of the poor man's lamb. The meaning in 1 Samuel 14:26 is disputed—traditionally 'flowing of honey,' but many emend the text. As 'traveler,' it emphasizes someone passing through, a guest whose arrival creates obligation. Nathan's parable uses this figure to spring the trap on David: the traveler represents the occasion, not the excuse, for taking what belongs to another.
Senses
1. sense 1 — The glosses show uncertainty: 'traveler' (2 Sam 12:4) vs. 'flowing of honey' (1 Sam 14:26). In Nathan's parable, 'a traveler came to the rich man,' creating the scenario where hospitality demands provision—but the rich man steals instead of giving from his own flock. The word conveys movement, journey, someone in transit. Many scholars emend 1 Samuel 14:26 to 'bees' instead of this word, but the Samuel 12:4 meaning (traveler) is clear and essential to the parable's impact. 2×
AR["سَيْلُ", "مُسافِرٌ"]·ben["পথিক", "প্রবাহ"]·DE["ein-traveler", "flowing-von"]·EN["a-traveler", "flowing-of"]·FR["coulant-de", "un-traveler"]·heb["הלך"]·HI["बहता-था", "यात्री"]·ID["aliran", "pengembara"]·IT["flowing-di", "un-traveler"]·jav["tamu", "tetes"]·KO["나그네가", "흐름"]·PT["fluindo", "viajante"]·RU["путник", "течение"]·ES["flujo-de", "viajero"]·SW["msafiri", "mtiririko-wa-"]·TR["akışı", "yolcu"]·urd["بہتا", "مسافر"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† הֵ֫לֶךְ n.m. traveller (properly a going, journey, whence wayfarer, traveller) only וַיָּבֹא הֵלֶךְ לְאִישׁ הֶעָשִׁיר 2 S 12:4 (‖ הָאֹרֵחַ הַבָּא לוֹ, הָאִישׁ הַבָּא לוֹ);—in MT 1 S 14:26 הֵלֶךְ דְּבָשׁ, ה׳ must be cstr. & = flowing, or dropping (of honey), but read rather הָלַךְ 𝔊 The Klo We Dr (& דְּבֹרוֹ for דְּבַשׁ q.v.; 𝔊 We Dr).