† [מַלְמָד, מַלְמֵד] n.[m. H4451
ox goad (pointed stick for driving cattle)
This noun refers to a cattle goad—a long stick with a pointed tip used to prod oxen while plowing. Judges 3:31 famously recounts how Shamgar struck down six hundred Philistines with an ox goad, transforming a farmer's implement into an improvised weapon. The detail emphasizes that God delivers through unlikely means and unlikely heroes working with whatever tools they have at hand.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Shamgar's unconventional weapon in Judges 3:31 was 'an ox goad,' a farmer's pointed stick for driving cattle. Translations consistently identify this agricultural tool (English 'ox-goad', Spanish 'aguijada', French 'bœuf-goad', German 'Ochse-goad'), highlighting the surprising nature of his victory—six hundred enemies defeated with farming equipment rather than military weapons. 1×
AR["بِ-مِنْساسِ"]·ben["গোরুর-কাঠিতে"]·DE["mit-der-Ochse-goad-von"]·EN["with-the-ox-goad-of"]·FR["avec-le-bœuf-goad-de"]·heb["ב-מלמד"]·HI["पैनी-से"]·ID["dengan-tongkat-pengajuan"]·IT["con-il-bue-goad-di"]·jav["mawi-pacul"]·KO["에-막대기로"]·PT["com-aguilhão-de"]·RU["стимулом"]·ES["con-aguijada-de"]·SW["kwa-fimbo-ya-"]·TR["ile-üvendiği"]·urd["پانے-سے"]
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
† [מַלְמָד, מַלְמֵד] n.[m.