H4383 H4383
Stumbling block, obstacle; a cause of falling, whether physical obstruction or moral and spiritual ruin.
Derived from kashal ('to stumble'), mikshol names whatever causes a person or nation to fall. Leviticus 19:14 prohibits placing a stumbling block before the blind -- a command that became foundational in Jewish ethics. Isaiah 8:14 transforms the image: God himself becomes a 'stone of stumbling and rock of offense' to both houses of Israel. Ezekiel wields it repeatedly for idols as spiritual obstacles causing moral collapse (Ezek 7:19; 14:3-4; 18:30; 44:12). Psalm 119:165 offers the counterpoint: those who love Torah find no occasion of stumbling. French 'pierre d'achoppement' preserves the concrete image of a stone one trips over.
Senses
1. stumbling block, obstacle — Something that causes stumbling or falling, literal and figurative. The ethical foundation appears in Leviticus 19:14, forbidding obstacles before the blind. Isaiah 8:14 applies it theologically: the LORD becomes a rock of stumbling. Ezekiel concentrates the term on idolatry as spiritual stumbling block (Ezek 7:19; 14:3-4; 18:30). Psalm 119:165 offers the positive corollary for lovers of Torah. 14×
AR["الْعَثَرَاتِ", "سُقُوطٍ", "عَثَرَاتٍ", "عَثْرَةً", "عَثْرَةٌ", "عَثْرَةَ", "لِـ-عَثْرَةٍ", "لِـ-عَثْرَةِ", "وَعَثْرَةَ", "وَعَقَبَةً"]·ben["আর-বাধা", "এবং-বাধা-হতে", "বাধা", "বাধা-", "হোঁচটগুলির", "হোঁচটের"]·DE["[המכשלים]", "[ומכשול]", "[למכשול]", "[מכשול]", "[מכשלים]", "stumbling-block", "und-wie-offense-von", "מִכְשֽׁוֹל׃"]·EN["and-as-offense-of", "and-stumbling-block-of", "for-stumbling-block", "stumbling", "stumbling-block", "stumbling-block-of", "stumbling-blocks", "the-stumbling-blocks"]·FR["[מכשול]", "[מכשלים]", "de-pierre-d'achoppement", "et-comme-offense-de", "et-obstacle", "obstacle", "stumbling-block"]·heb["ה-מכשולים", "ו-ל-מכשול", "ו-מכשול", "ל-מכשול", "מיכשול", "מכשול", "מכשולים", "מכשל"]·HI["और-ठोकर", "और-ठोकर-के-लिए", "ठोकर", "ठोकर-के-लिए", "ठोकर-खिलाने-वाली", "ठोकरें"]·ID["batu-batu-sandungan", "batu-sandungan", "dan-batu-sandungan", "dan-penghalang", "tergelincir", "untuk-batu-sandungan", "yang-tersandung"]·IT["[מכשול]", "e-come-offense-di", "e-inciampo", "inciampo", "ostacolo", "stumbling-block"]·jav["dados-sandungan", "dhateng-sandhungan", "kasandhungan-kasandhungan,", "kesandungan", "lan-sandhungan", "lan-sandungan", "pepalang", "sandhungan"]·KO["걸려-넘어짐의", "걸림돌", "걸림돌들을", "걸림돌로-", "걸림돌을", "걸림돌이", "그-넘어짐들을", "그들-에게", "그리고-걸림돌을-", "그리고-마음의-걸림돌로", "에-걸림돌의"]·PT["como-tropeço", "e-para-obstáculo-de", "e-tropeço-de-", "obstáculo", "os-tropeços", "para-tropeço-de", "tropeço", "tropeço-de", "tropeços"]·RU["и-преткновение-", "и-соблазном", "препятствие", "преткновение", "преткновением", "преткновением-", "преткновения", "соблазна"]·ES["escándalo", "los-tropiezos", "para-tropiezo", "para-tropiezo-de", "tropiezo", "tropiezo-de", "tropiezos", "y-por-obstáculo-de", "y-tropiezo-de"]·SW["kikwazo", "kikwazo-cha", "kujikwaa", "na-kikwazo", "na-kizuizi", "vikwazo", "wa-kujikwaa"]·TR["engel", "engeli", "engeller", "sendelemesi", "tokezlemek", "tökez", "tökez-için", "tökezleyenler", "ve-tökezini", "ve-tökezleme", "yüreği", "çünkü"]·urd["اور-ٹھوکر", "اور-ٹھوکر-کا", "رکاوٹ", "لڑکھڑاہٹ-کی", "ٹھوکر", "ٹھوکر-کا", "ٹھوکر-کا-باعث", "ٹھوکر-کا-سبب", "ٹھوکریں"]
Lev 19:14, 1 Sam 25:31, Ps 119:165, Isa 8:14, Isa 57:14, Jer 6:21, Ezek 3:20, Ezek 7:19, Ezek 14:3, Ezek 14:4, Ezek 14:7, Ezek 18:30 (+2 more)
Related Senses
H7965 1. peace, absence of conflict (198×)H3467 1. save, deliver, rescue (Hifil active) (156×)H5127 1. flee, run away (Qal) (144×)G1515 1. peace, well-being, harmony (93×)H8002 1. peace offering(s) (87×)G4982 1. save spiritually, grant salvation (79×)H3444 1. salvation, deliverance (67×)H4422 1. Nifal: escape, flee (63×)H1272 1. flee, run away (Qal) (58×)H6869b 1. distress, trouble (57×)G4991 1. of salvation (46×)G2347 1. tribulation, affliction, distress (45×)H0983 1. security, safety, confidence (42×)H6031b 1. Piel: afflict, oppress (42×)H6040 1. affliction, misery, suffering (36×)H3468 1. salvation, deliverance (33×)G5343 1. flee, run away (28×)H3467 2. savior, deliverer (Hifil participle substantive) (28×)H8668 1. salvation, deliverance (27×)H8252 1. be quiet, be at rest (26×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† מִכְשׁוֹל n.m. Je 6:21 a stumbling, means or occasion of stumbling, stumbling-block;—מ׳ abs. Is 8:14 + 3 times, מִכְשֹׁל Lv 19:14; cstr. מִכְשׁוֹל 1 S 25:31 + 6 times Ez; pl. מִכְשֹׁלִים Je 6:21 + Ez 21:20 MT (Co al. מֻכְשָׁלִים, v. infr.);— 1. stumbling, צוּר מ׳ Is 8:14 (fig.) a rock of stumbling (i.e. over which one stumbles); lit. הַרְבֵּה הַמִּכְשֹׁלִים Ez 21:20 an abundance of stumblings,…