---
title: מָשַׁל — use a proverb · The Tanakh dictionary
description: מָשַׁל (4911), a word of Biblical Hebrew, used 17 times: use a proverb. BDB 1906: vb.denom. use proverb, speak in parables sentences of poetry. With 2 verses in Hebrew, word for word and JPS 1917.
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/tanakh/w/4911.html)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/) / [Tanakh](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/tanakh/) / [מ](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/tanakh/1502-10.md)‎ / מָשַׁל‎

<!-- .hw dir=rtl lang=hbo -->
# מָשַׁל

<!-- .meta -->
«מָשַׁל» in the Tanakh dictionary: **use a proverb** — how often it is used, MACULA's glosses, its meanings in the printed dictionaries and why they were chosen, and 2 verses in layers.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Used:** 17 times · **Key:** 4911 · **BDB:** מָשַׁל²

### Glosses

I.will.be.equal (2); he.is.like (2); speak.a.parable (2)

### Meaning (OSHB)

use a proverb [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1502/4911/#m1)

### Meaning (BDB 1906)

vb.denom. use proverb, speak in parables sentences of poetry [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1502/4911/#m2)

<!-- fold -->
**The whole BDB entry:** vb.denom. use a proverb, speak in parables or sentences of poetry, especially Ezek.;— Impf. יִמְשֹׁל Ez 16:44; 3 mpl. יִּמְשְׁלוּ 12:23; Imv. מְשֹׁל 17:2; 24:3; Inf. cstr. מְשֹׁל 18:3; Pt. מֹשֵׁל 16:44, pl. מֹשְׁלִים 18:2 Nu 21:27;—use a proverb: מ׳ מָשָׁל Ez 12:23; 18:3 + ב loc.; a parable c. אֶל־ 17:2 (‖ חוד), 24:3; c. עַל־ 18:2, and (מָשָׁל appar. om.) הִנֵּה כָּל־הַמּשֵׁל עָלַיִךְ יִמְשֹׁל 16:44 (but this is awkward; point הִנֵּה כֹּל הַמָּשָׁל); מֹשְׁלִים Nu 21:27 (JE). Pt. הֲלֹא מְמַשֵּׁל מְשַׁלִים הוּא Ez 20:49 is he not a maker of parables?

<!-- .note -->
Why these entries: BDB: headword, part of speech agrees, 8 of its verses cited, 3 words shared with the glosses, lists its Strong's number (8 candidates); OSHB: headword, part of speech agrees, 2 words shared with the BDB entry, 2 with the glosses (8 candidates)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every English meaning of «מָשַׁל» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1502/4911/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.

### In the verses

<!-- div verse -->

<!-- .ref -->
[Ezekiel 17:2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/EZK.17.2/)

<!-- .vt dir=rtl lang=hbo -->
בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם ח֥וּד חִידָ֖ה וּמְשֹׁ֣ל מָשָׁ֑ל אֶל־בֵּ֖ית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

*Word for word:* O.son of.humankind ask.a.riddle a.riddle and speak.a.parable a.parable concerning the.house of.Israel

*JPS 1917:* 'Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel,

<!-- /div -->

<!-- div verse -->

<!-- .ref -->
[Job 17:6](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/JOB.17.6/)

<!-- .vt dir=rtl lang=hbo -->
וְֽ֭הִצִּגַנִי לִמְשֹׁ֣ל עַמִּ֑ים וְתֹ֖פֶת לְפָנִ֣ים אֶֽהְיֶֽה׃

*Word for word:* and he has.set.me to use.a.proverb peoples and a.spitting to.\[the\] face I.am

*JPS 1917:* He hath made me also a byword of the people; and I am become one in whose face they spit.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [מָשַׁל](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/tanakh/w/4910.md)
- next →: [מָשָׁל](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/tanakh/w/4912.md)
- ↑ back to [מ](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/tanakh/1502-10.md)