What does מוֹקֵשׁ (mwōqēš) mean in the Bible?
מוֹקֵשׁ (mwōqēš): A trap that ensnares; figuratively, anything that lures one into destructive bondage or moral compromise.
Hebrew · H4170
מוֹקֵשׁ
A noose (for catching animals) (literally or figuratively); by implication, a hook (for the nose)
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מוֹקֵשׁH4170
Pronunciationmwōqēš
What does מוֹקֵשׁ (mwōqēš) mean in the Bible?
מוֹקֵשׁ (mwōqēš): A trap that ensnares; figuratively, anything that lures one into destructive bondage or moral compromise.
Full entry for מוֹקֵשׁ (H4170) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H4170?
The BSB source-word alignment has 27 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include a snare (7), and a trap (2), from the snares (2), the snares (2), [are] a snare (1).
Where does מוֹקֵשׁ (mwōqēš) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Exodus 10:7. Its strongest book concentrations include Proverbs (8), Psalms (6), Exodus (3), Job (2).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Ita snare7×Exodus 10:7, Exodus 23:33, Exodus 34:12, Judges 2:3
and a trap2×Joshua 23:13, Psalms 69:22
from the snares2×Proverbs 13:14, Proverbs 14:27
the snares2×2 Samuel 22:6, Psalms 18:5
[are] a snare1×Proverbs 18:7
a snare to them1×Psalms 106:36
and a snare1×Isaiah 8:14
and from the lures1×Psalms 141:9
and lures1×Psalms 140:5
bait1×Amos 3:5
in a snare1×Proverbs 22:25
is caught1×Proverbs 29:6
It is a trap1×Proverbs 20:25
man is trapped1×Proverbs 12:13
or lay snares1×Job 34:30
their snares1×Psalms 64:5
will be a snare1×Deuteronomy 7:16
with a snare1×Job 40:24
Show sample aligned rows
Exodus 10:7לְמוֹקֵ֔שׁtoa snarePreposition-l | Noun - masculine singularExodus 23:33לְמוֹקֵֽשׁ׃פtoa snarePreposition-l | Noun - masculine singularExodus 34:12לְמוֹקֵ֖שׁtoa snarePreposition-l | Noun - masculine singularDeuteronomy 7:16מוֹקֵ֥שׁtowill be a snareNoun - masculine singularJoshua 23:13וּלְמוֹקֵ֗שׁtoand a trapConjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singularJudges 2:3לְמוֹקֵֽשׁ׃toa snarePreposition-l | Noun - masculine singularJudges 8:27לְמוֹקֵֽשׁ׃toa snarePreposition-l | Noun - masculine singular1 Samuel 18:21לְמוֹקֵ֔שׁtoa snarePreposition-l | Noun - masculine singular2 Samuel 22:6מֹֽקְשֵׁי־tothe snaresNoun - masculine plural constructJob 34:30מִמֹּ֥קְשֵׁיtoor lay snaresPreposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowExodus 10:7
Aligned rows27
Books represented11
Exodus3Deuteronomy1Joshua1Judges21 Samuel12 Samuel1Job2Psalms6Proverbs8Isaiah1Amos1
Source forms
לְמוֹקֵֽשׁ׃4xlə·mō·w·qêšJudges 2:3, Judges 8:27, Psalms 69:22, Psalms 106:36
מוֹקֵ֣שׁ3xmō·w·qêšProverbs 12:13, Proverbs 20:25, Proverbs 22:25
מִמֹּ֥קְשֵׁי3xmim·mō·qə·šêJob 34:30, Proverbs 13:14, Proverbs 14:27
לְמוֹקֵ֔שׁ2xlə·mō·w·qêšExodus 10:7, 1 Samuel 18:21
מוֹקֵ֥שׁ2xmō·w·qêšDeuteronomy 7:16, Proverbs 18:7
מוֹקֵ֑שׁ2xmō·w·qêšProverbs 29:6, Proverbs 29:25
בְּ֝מֽוֹקְשִׁ֗ים1xbə·mō·wq·šîmJob 40:24
וּלְמוֹקֵ֗שׁ1xū·lə·mō·w·qêšJoshua 23:13
Parsing patterns
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular8xExodus 10:7, Exodus 23:33, Exodus 34:12, Judges 2:3
Noun - masculine singular5xDeuteronomy 7:16, Proverbs 12:13, Proverbs 22:25, Proverbs 29:6
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct3xJob 34:30, Proverbs 13:14, Proverbs 14:27
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular2xJoshua 23:13, Isaiah 8:14
Noun - masculine plural2xPsalms 64:5, Psalms 140:5
Noun - masculine plural construct2x2 Samuel 22:6, Psalms 18:5
Noun - masculine singular construct2xProverbs 18:7, Proverbs 20:25
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct1xPsalms 141:9
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. A trap that ensnares; figuratively, anything that lures one into destructive bondage or moral compromise.
Source Gloss
a noose (for catching animals) (literally or figuratively); by implication, a hook (for the nose)
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
A trap that ensnares; figuratively, anything that lures one into destructive bondage or moral compromise.
a noose (for catching animals) (literally or figuratively); by implication, a hook (for the nose) BDB: a bait Usage: be ensnared, gin, (is) snare(-d), trap.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
A fool's own mouth becomes a trap that ensnares him through reckless speech
Fear of others functions as a trap, while trust in God provides escape from danger
Terror, pit, and snare used as judgment metaphors for comprehensive divine judgment on Moab
Evil speech creates a trap that catches the speaker, while the righteous escape trouble
Association with angry people creates a relational trap, leading one into destructive behavior
Showing 5 selected witnesses from 27 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
מוֹקֵשׁ is built from this root:
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.