מִצְעָד H4703
A step or footstep, often metaphorically for one's course or way of life
This term refers to the physical act of stepping or the steps one takes, frequently used metaphorically for the path or direction of one's life. In wisdom literature it describes how God establishes the steps of the righteous (Ps 37), while Proverbs acknowledges that human steps are ultimately directed by the Lord. In Daniel it appears in the phrase 'at his steps'—meaning in his train or following after him. The imagery evokes both literal walking and the trajectory of one's choices.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Steps or footsteps, literal or figurative for one's life path. Psalm 37:23 declares 'the steps of a man are established by the LORD when he delights in his way.' Proverbs 20:24 asks 'a man's steps are from the LORD; how then can man understand his way?'—acknowledging divine sovereignty over human direction. Daniel 11:43 uses it spatially: 'at his steps' meaning in his train or retinue. The consistent cross-linguistic rendering as 'steps' or 'pas' supports both literal and metaphorical senses. 3×
AR["خُطُواتُ", "خُطْواتُ-", "فِي-خُطُواتِهِ"]·ben["তার-পদক্ষেপে", "পদক্ষেপ"]·DE["[במצעדיו]", "[מצעדי]", "steps-von"]·EN["at-his-steps", "steps-of"]·FR["de-pas", "pas", "מצעדי"]·heb["ב-מצעדיו", "מצעדי-", "מצעדי־"]·HI["उसके-कदमों-में", "कदम", "कदम-"]·ID["di-langkah-langkahnya", "langkah-langkah"]·IT["[במצעדיו]", "[מצעדי]", "steps-di"]·jav["ing-lampah-ipun", "jangkah", "tindak-saking"]·KO["걸음들-이", "그의-발걸음들에", "발걸음들은-"]·PT["em-seus-passos", "os-passos-do", "passos-de-"]·RU["по-стопам-его", "шаги", "шаги-"]·ES["en-pasos-sus", "los-pasos-de-", "pasos-de"]·SW["hatua-za", "katika-hatua-zake"]·TR["adımları-", "be-adımlarında"]·urd["اُس-کے-قدموں-میں", "قدم", "قدم-"]
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
[מִצְעָד] n.[m.] step;—pl. sf. בְּמִצְעָדָיו Dn 11:43 i.e. at his heels, in his train; cstr., fig. of course of life, מִצְעֲדֵי־גֶבֶר ψ 37:23 (‖ דַּרְכּוֹ), Pr 20:24.