לוּז (luz)
luz
be devious
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 6 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb luz means to turn aside or depart, often carrying a negative connotation of deviating from a straight path. In its basic form, it simply describes leaving or moving away, but in poetic and wisdom literature, it frequently takes on a moral dimension. The sources indicate that when used in the Niphal stem, it describes someone who goes wrong or becomes crooked, suggesting a departure from integrity or truth.
This word appears six times in the Bible, primarily in Proverbs and Isaiah. A key example is found in Proverbs 3:21, where wisdom is urged not to "depart" from one’s eyes. Here, luz conveys the idea of letting insight slip away or failing to keep it close. The imagery suggests that wisdom requires active retention; if one allows it to turn aside, one risks becoming devious or perverse in thought and action.
Translators often render luz as "depart" or "turn aside," though the underlying sense is more about losing focus or straying from a correct course. The word’s use in Isaiah 59:8, describing roads that are "crooked," highlights its association with moral deviation. Luz thus serves as a warning against allowing truth to slip away, emphasizing the need for steadfastness in following wisdom.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word luz describes a turning aside from a straight path, often implying a moral deviation or becoming crooked in one’s ways. It appears in Proverbs and Isaiah to warn against letting wisdom slip away or relying on deceitful paths. When used of people, it suggests a heart that has strayed from integrity; when used of roads, it paints a picture of journeys that lead nowhere good. This imagery reminds us that faithfulness requires active attention, not passive habit.
In Proverbs 3:21 and 4:21, the call is to keep wisdom close so it does not depart from your eyes. The danger is not just in doing wrong, but in allowing truth to drift out of focus until our paths become twisted. Isaiah 59:8 uses similar language to describe roads that are crooked, highlighting how moral deviation distorts even the way we move through life. Staying on the straight path means holding fast to what is true and right.
This word invites us to examine where our attention lies. Are we keeping wisdom at the center of our heart, or have we let it wander? The Bible encourages steadfastness, reminding us that God’s friendship is with the upright. By staying close to His guidance, we avoid the crooked paths that lead away from peace and clarity.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 6 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- they depart1×
- let them depart1×
- and/ a crooked [thing]1×
- and/ [who are] crooked1×
- and/ [the] [one who] is crooked of1×
- a crooked [person]1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- נָל֑וֹז1×
- יָלֻ֣זוּ1×
- יַלִּ֥יזוּ1×
- וּ֝/נְלוֹזִ֗ים1×
- וּ/נְל֖וֹז1×
- וְ/נָל֔וֹז1×
Key Verses
-
Proverbs 3:21
My son, let them not depart from your eyes. Keep sound wisdom and discretion,
This verse uses luz to urge active retention of wisdom, warning that letting it depart leads to a loss of discernment.
-
Isaiah 30:12
Therefore the Holy One of Israel says, “Because you despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and rely on it,
Here the noun form describes perverseness or crookedness as a reliance on oppression, showing how moral deviation corrupts trust in God.
-
Proverbs 4:21
Let them not depart from your eyes. Keep them in the center of your heart.
The repetition of this command emphasizes that wisdom must be kept visibly present to prevent the heart from turning aside.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does luz mean in the Bible?
Where does luz appear in Scripture?
How is luz different from other words for sin?
Every Occurrence (6 verses across 2 books)
Proverbs 5 verses
who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths,
Proverbs 3:21My son, let them not depart from your eyes. Keep sound wisdom and discretion,
Proverbs 3:32For the perverse is an abomination to Yahweh, but his friendship is with the upright.
Proverbs 4:21Let them not depart from your eyes. Keep them in the center of your heart.
Proverbs 14:2He who walks in his uprightness fears Yahweh, but he who is perverse in his ways despises him.