H4912 H4912
Proverb, parable, prophetic oracle, or byword; a structured speech form ranging from wisdom saying to taunt
Hebrew mashal is remarkably elastic, covering everything from a pithy folk saying to a solemn prophetic oracle. At its heart lies the idea of a carefully crafted comparison or parallel -- the word itself likely derives from a root meaning 'to be like.' The 'Proverbs of Solomon' (Prov 1:1) uses this term for compact wisdom sentences, while Balaam's oracles in Numbers 23-24 and Ezekiel's allegories (Ezek 17:2) show its prophetic reach. Most strikingly, it can denote a person or nation reduced to a 'byword' of derision (Deut 28:37; Ps 44:14), where the structured comparison turns cruelly public.
Senses
1. proverb, wisdom saying — A brief, memorable wisdom saying or maxim, the stuff of Israelite sapiential tradition. This is the mashal of Proverbs 1:1 (mishle Shelomo), of Solomon's legendary 3,000 proverbs (1 Kgs 4:32), and of the 'proverb of the ancients' cited by David (1 Sam 24:13). Spanish 'Proverbios de' and English 'proverb' both capture this instructional, quotable quality. Ecclesiastes 12:9 confirms the sage's activity of weighing and arranging meshalim as a literary craft. 16×
AR["أَمْثالُ","أَمْثَالُ","أَمْثَالُ-","الْمَثَلَ","الْمَثَلِ","مَثَلاً","مَثَلٌ","مَثَلٍ","مَثَلُ","مِشَلِيم","هَذَا-الْمَثَلَ","هَذَا-الْمَثَلُ","وَ-مَثَلٌ"]·ben["-এর-প্রবাদসমূহ","-প্রবাদ","এবং-প্রবচন","দৃষ্টান্ত","প্রবচন","প্রবচনসমূহ","প্রবাদ","প্রবাদ-","প্রবাদ-ভস্মের","হিতোপদেশ"]·DE["Gleichnis","Spruch","Sprueche-von","[משלים]","proverb-von","proverbs","und-Spruch"]·EN["a-proverb","and-a-proverb","parable","proverb-of","proverbs","proverbs-of","proverbs-of-","the-proverb","the-proverbs-of"]·FR["et-proverbe","parabole","proverb-de","proverbe","proverbs"]·heb["ה-משל","ו-משל","משל","משלי","משלים"]·HI["और-दृष्टान्त","कहावत","कहावतें","दृष्टांत","दृष्टान्त"]·ID["Amsal-amsal","amsal","amsal-amsal","dan-amsal","pepatah-pepatah","peribahasa","peribahasa-itu","sindiran"]·IT["e-proverbio","il-parabola","parabola","proverbi","proverbio","proverbio-di"]·jav["Wulang-bebasan","Wulang-bebasan-saking","bebasan","lan-paribasan","paribasan","paribasan-punika","paribasan-saking","pasemon"]·KO["격언들-이다-","그-속담을","그-속담이","그리고-잉언은","비유-를","속담이","잉언들이니라","잠언-들-이다","잠언-은","잠언-을","잠언들","잠언을"]·PT["Provérbios-de","e-provérbio","o-provérbio","provérbio","provérbio-de","provérbios","provérbios-de","provérbios-de-"]·RU["Притчи","и-притча","поговорка","поговорку","притча","притчей","притчи","притчи-","притчу"]·ES["Proverbios-de","el-proverbio","proverbio","proverbio-de","proverbios","proverbios-de","un-proverbio","y-proverbio"]·SW["Mithali","Mithali-za","hii","methali","methali-za","mithali","mithali-za","na-mithali","na-nyimbo-zake"]·TR["Meselleri","atasozleri","atasözleri-","atasözü","bu","meseli","meselleridir","ve-mesel","özdeyiş","özdeyişleri"]·urd["امثال","اور-مثل","راکھ-کی-طرح","مثالیں","مثل","کہاوت"]
1 Sam 24:13, 1 Kgs 4:32, Job 13:12, Prov 1:1, Prov 1:6, Prov 10:1, Prov 25:1, Prov 26:7, Prov 26:9, Eccl 12:9, Ezek 12:22, Ezek 12:23 (+4 more)
2. prophetic oracle, discourse — A prophetic oracle or visionary discourse, especially Balaam's utterances introduced by the formula 'he took up his mashal' (Num 23:7, 18; 24:3, 15, 20-23). French 'son oracle' and English 'his discourse' both register the elevated, inspired quality of these speeches. The oracular mashal differs from the wisdom proverb by its divine source and its poetic, visionary sweep. 9×
AR["مَثَلَهُ"]·ben["তাঁর-প্রবাদ","তার-দৃষ্টান্ত"]·DE["[משלו]","sein-oracle"]·EN["his-discourse","his-oracle"]·FR["son-oracle","son-proverbe-lui"]·heb["משלו"]·HI["अपनी-कहावत","उक्ति-अपनी","दृष्टांत-अपना"]·ID["peribahasa-nya","perumpamaannya","ucapan"]·IT["proverbio-suo","suo-oracle"]·jav["paribasan-ipun","pasemonipun"]·KO["그-예언-을","그의-비유를"]·PT["seu-discurso","seu-provérbio","sua-parábola"]·RU["притчу-свою"]·ES["parábola-de-él","su-proverbio"]·SW["mfano-wake","mithali-yake"]·TR["meseli","meselini","sözünü"]·urd["اپنی-مثال","مثال-اپنی"]
3. parable, figurative discourse — An extended figurative narrative or allegory used to illustrate spiritual truth. Ezekiel's eagle-and-vine allegory (Ezek 17:2) is explicitly called a mashal, as is the psalmist's 'dark saying' in Psalm 78:2. French 'parabole' and Spanish 'parábola' both draw on Greco-Latin parable terminology, highlighting the comparative, illustrative function. Isaiah 14:4 uses it for the grand taunt-poem against the king of Babylon. 7×
AR["أَمْثَالٍ","الْمَثَلَ","بِمَثَلٍ","لِـمَثَل","مَثَلاً","مَثَلًا","وَمَثَلًا"]·ben["-বিদ্রূপ-গান","আর-প্রবাদের-জন্য","দৃষ্টান্ত","দৃষ্টান্তে-","প্রতি-প্রবাদ","রূপকগুলি"]·DE["Gleichnis","[המשל]","in-ein-parable","und-Gleichnis","zu-ein-proverb"]·EN["a-parable","and-for-proverbs","in-a-parable","parable","parables","the-proverb","to-a-proverb"]·FR["[המשל]","dans-proverbe","et-parabole","parabole","à-proverbe"]·heb["ב-משל","ה-משל","ו-ל-משלים","ל-משל","משל","משלים"]·HI["और-कहावतों-के-लिए","कहावत-","दृष्टांत","दृष्टांत-की-ओर","दृष्टान्त-में","दृष्टान्तों"]·ID["-nyanyian-ejekan","dan-peribahasa,","dengan-perumpamaan","perumpamaan","perumpamaan-perumpamaan"]·IT["[המשל]","a-proverbio","e-parabola","in-proverbio","parabola"]·jav["kula","lan-dados-paribasan","mawi-pasemon","paribasan","pasemon"]·KO["-비유-에","그리고-속담으로","비유-로","비유들을","비유를"]·PT["a-parábola","e-para-provérbios","em-parábola","o-provérbio","parábola","parábolas"]·RU["в-притче","и-притчей","к-притче","он","притчу"]·ES["a-proverbio","en-parábola","la-parábola","parábola","parábolas","y-por-proverbios"]·SW["kwa-mithali","mfano","mithali","na-mithali"]·TR["-özdeyişe","alayi","işarete","mesel","mesellerle","meşel","meşeller"]·urd["اور-کہاوتوں-کے-لئے","بِ-تمثیل","تمثیلیں","طعنہ","لِ-تمثیل","مثال","مَثَل"]
4. byword, taunt-saying — A byword or object lesson -- when a person or nation becomes a proverbial example of judgment and disgrace. Deuteronomy 28:37 warns Israel will become 'a mashal and a byword' (lemashol velishnina) among the nations, and Psalm 44:14 laments this fate in exile. Spanish 'para proverbio' and German 'ein byword' both reflect the public, cautionary dimension. The same root that builds wisdom here builds shame. 7×
AR["لِ-مَثَلٍ","لِـ-مَثَلٍ","مَثَلاً","مَثَلًا","وَ-لِلْمَثَلِ"]·ben["-প্রবাদে","ও-প্রবাদে","প্রবাদ","প্রবাদ।","প্রবাদের-জন্য","প্রবাদের-বিষয়"]·DE["Gleichnis","[ולמשל]","ein-byword","fuer-proverb"]·EN["a-byword","and-for-a-byword","as-a-proverb","for-proverb"]·FR["[ולמשל]","[למשל]","de-proverbe","pour-proverb","à-proverbe"]·heb["ו-ל-משל","ל-משל","לְ-מָשָׁל","משל"]·HI["और-दृष्टान्त-के-लिए","कहावत","कहावत-के-लिए","दृष्टान्त"]·ID["bahan-sindiran","dan-sebagai-perumpamaan","menjadi-peribahasa","peribahasa","sebagai-amsal"]·IT["[ולמשל]","[למשל]","a-proverbio","per-proverb","per-proverbio","proverbio"]·jav["dados-pèngètan","kangge-paribasan","kanggé-crita","kanggé-paribasan","lan-kangge-paribasan","paribasan","pasemon"]·KO["(전)-속담으로","그리고-에-비유를-위하여","비유-로","속담-으로","속담으로","속담이-되고"]·PT["e-por-provérbio","para-provérbio","por-provérbio","provérbio"]·RU["и-в-притчу","притчей","притчею"]·ES["en-proverbio","para-proverbio","por-proverbio","por-refrán","y-para-ejemplo"]·SW["kama-methali","methali","mithali","na-mithali"]·TR["atasözü","atasözü-olarak","deyim-için","için-atasözü","ve-atasözü"]·urd["اور-مثال-کے-لئے","ضرب-المثل","لِ-تمثیل","مثال-کے-لیے","مثل-کے-لیے","مثل-یہ"]
Related Senses
H0559 1. say, speak, tell (5297×)G3004 1. say, tell, speak (2226×)H1696 1. speak, say, tell (Piel) (1105×)H7121 1. call, summon, name (575×)H6680 1. command, order, charge (483×)H6030b 1. answer, respond, reply (289×)G2980 1. speak, talk (277×)H5046 1. Hifil: to tell, report (237×)G0611 1. answer or respond verbally (232×)H1288 1. Piel: bless, invoke blessing (227×)H7650 1. swear, take an oath (Niphal) (154×)H3789 1. Qal passive participle: written, recorded (112×)H1984b 1. praise, laud (Piel) (111×)H7592 1. ask, inquire, question (96×)H3034 1. give thanks, praise (Hifil) (94×)G1321 1. teach, instruct actively (92×)H3789 2. Qal active: write, compose (89×)G1125 1. to write, compose (a letter or document) (84×)H5046 2. Hifil: to declare, proclaim (79×)H7892a 1. song, musical composition (78×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† II. מָשָׁל n.m. Is 14:4 proverb, parable (of sentences constructed in parallelism, usually of Hebrew Wisdom, but occas. of other types);—abs. מ׳ Ez 17:2 + 20 times; cstr. מְשַׁל 1 S 24:14; sf. מְשַׁלוֹ Nu 23:7 + 8 times; pl. מְשָׁלִים Ec 12:9 + 2 times; cstr. מִשְׁלֵי Pr 1:1 + 3 times;— 1. proverbial saying, brief terse sentence of popular sagacity 1 S 10:12; Ez 12:22, 23; 18:2, 3; מ׳…