מָשַׁל (ma.shal)
ma.shal
to liken; to use a proverb
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 6 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb mashal carries two intertwined meanings: to liken something to another, and to speak in proverbs or parables. In its basic sense, it describes a relationship of similarity or comparison. When used in the Hiphil stem, it actively means to compare one thing with another, establishing a parallel between distinct realities.
More notably, mashal refers to the act of composing or uttering a proverbial saying. This usage appears in passages like Numbers 24:3-9, where Balacon speaks in a poetic oracle that functions as a prophetic mashal. The word implies a structured, often rhythmic form of speech designed to convey wisdom or truth through analogy rather than direct statement.
Its root suggests a connection between the concrete act of making something similar and the artistic act of crafting a saying. Translators often render it as "proverb" or "parable," depending on context. The term highlights how ancient Hebrew thought valued indirect, illustrative language for teaching profound spiritual truths.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word mashal invites us to see connections where others might only see differences. It is not merely about making a comparison for the sake of it, but about using familiar images to reveal deeper truths. When we read proverbs or parables in Scripture, we are encountering this very act—God meeting us in our everyday language to speak eternal realities.
In Numbers 21:27, the phrase 'those who speak in proverbs' shows how ancient communities preserved wisdom through memorable, rhythmic speech. This method allows us to grasp complex spiritual lessons without feeling overwhelmed by abstract theory. It is a gentle invitation to look closer at the world around us and find God’s handiwork in the ordinary.
When we feel distant from God, as in Job 30:19 or Psalms 28:1, the imagery of becoming 'like dust' or 'like those who go down into the pit' uses mashal to express our deepest fears. These comparisons do not diminish our pain; instead, they validate it by bringing it before God in honest, poetic language. We are reminded that even in our lowest moments, we can speak to Him with clarity and trust.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 6 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ I will be equal2×
- you have become like1×
- those/ [who] speak proverbs1×
- and/ will you compare?/ me1×
- and/ I have become like1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וְ֝/נִמְשַׁ֗לְתִּי2×
- נִמְשָֽׁלְתָּ\׃1×
- וָ֝/אֶתְמַשֵּׁ֗ל1×
- וְ/תַמְשִׁל֖וּ/נִי1×
- הַ/מֹּשְׁלִ֖ים1×
Key Verses
-
Numbers 21:27
Therefore those who speak in proverbs say, “Come to Heshbon. Let the city of Sihon be built and established;
This verse explicitly identifies a group 'who speak in proverbs,' grounding the word mashal in the tradition of communal wisdom literature.
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Job 30:19
He has cast me into the mire. I have become like dust and ashes.
Here the simile 'like dust and ashes' uses the comparative sense of mashal to vividly describe Job's physical degradation and humility before God.
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Psalms 28:1
By David. To you, Yahweh, I call. My rock, don’t be deaf to me, lest, if you are silent to me, I would become like those who go down into the pit.
David’s plea not to become 'like those who go down into the pit' employs mashal to contrast his current cry for help with the silence of death.
-
Isaiah 46:5
“To whom will you compare me, and consider my equal, and compare me, as if we were the same?
God’s rhetorical question 'To whom will you compare me?' uses mashal to highlight the absolute uniqueness and incomparability of Yahweh against idols.