What does מִכְשׁוֹל (mikĕšwōl) mean in the Bible?
מִכְשׁוֹל (mikĕšwōl): Obstacle that causes moral or spiritual ruin; often denotes idolatry or sin-inducing enticement, not mere difficulty.
Hebrew · H4383
מִכְשׁוֹל
A stumbling-block , literally or figuratively ( obstacle , enticement (specifically an idol), scruple )
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מִכְשׁוֹלH4383
Pronunciationmikĕšwōl
What does מִכְשׁוֹל (mikĕšwōl) mean in the Bible?
מִכְשׁוֹל (mikĕšwōl): Obstacle that causes moral or spiritual ruin; often denotes idolatry or sin-inducing enticement, not mere difficulty.
Full entry for מִכְשׁוֹל (H4383) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H4383?
The BSB source-word alignment has 14 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include a stumbling block (3), stumbling block (2), stumbling blocks (2), can make them stumble (1), downfall (1).
Where does מִכְשׁוֹל (mikĕšwōl) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Leviticus 19:14. Its strongest book concentrations include Ezekiel (8), Isaiah (2), 1 Samuel (1), Jeremiah (1).
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 stumbling block3×Leviticus 19:14, Ezekiel 3:20, Ezekiel 44:12
stumbling block2×Ezekiel 14:4, Ezekiel 14:7
stumbling blocks2×Jeremiah 6:21, Ezekiel 14:3
can make them stumble1×Psalms 119:165
downfall1×Ezekiel 18:30
every obstacle1×Isaiah 57:14
may stumble1×Ezekiel 21:15
of offense1×Isaiah 8:14
or guilt1×1 Samuel 25:31
the stumbling block1×Ezekiel 7:19
Show sample aligned rows
Leviticus 19:14מִכְשֹׁ֑לtoa stumbling blockNoun - masculine singular1 Samuel 25:31וּלְמִכְשׁ֨וֹלtoor guiltConjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular constructPsalms 119:165מִכְשֽׁוֹל׃tocan make them stumbleNoun - masculine singularIsaiah 8:14מִכְשׁ֜וֹלtoof offenseNoun - masculine singularIsaiah 57:14מִכְשׁ֖וֹלtoevery obstacleNoun - masculine singularJeremiah 6:21מִכְשֹׁלִ֑יםtostumbling blocksNoun - masculine pluralEzekiel 3:20מִכְשׁ֛וֹלtoa stumbling blockNoun - masculine singularEzekiel 7:19מִכְשׁ֥וֹלtothe stumbling blockNoun - masculine singular constructEzekiel 14:3וּמִכְשׁ֣וֹלtostumbling blocksConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructEzekiel 14:4וּמִכְשׁ֤וֹלtostumbling blockConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowLeviticus 19:14
Aligned rows14
Books represented6
Leviticus11 Samuel1Psalms1Isaiah2Jeremiah1Ezekiel8
Source forms
וּמִכְשׁ֣וֹל2xū·miḵ·šō·wlEzekiel 14:3, Ezekiel 14:7
הַמִּכְשֹׁלִ֔ים1xham·miḵ·šō·lîmEzekiel 21:15
וּלְמִכְשׁ֨וֹל1xū·lə·miḵ·šō·wl1 Samuel 25:31
וּמִכְשׁ֤וֹל1xū·miḵ·šō·wlEzekiel 14:4
לְמִכְשׁ֖וֹל1xlə·miḵ·šō·wlEzekiel 18:30
לְמִכְשׁ֣וֹל1xlə·miḵ·šō·wlEzekiel 44:12
מִכְשׁ֜וֹל1xmiḵ·šō·wlIsaiah 8:14
מִכְשׁ֖וֹל1xmiḵ·šō·wlIsaiah 57:14
Parsing patterns
Noun - masculine singular5xLeviticus 19:14, Psalms 119:165, Isaiah 8:14, Isaiah 57:14
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct3xEzekiel 14:3, Ezekiel 14:4, Ezekiel 14:7
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct2xEzekiel 18:30, Ezekiel 44:12
Article | Noun - masculine plural1xEzekiel 21:15
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct1x1 Samuel 25:31
Noun - masculine plural1xJeremiah 6:21
Noun - masculine singular construct1xEzekiel 7:19
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Obstacle that causes moral or spiritual ruin; often denotes idolatry or sin-inducing enticement, not mere difficulty.
Source Gloss
a stumbling-block , literally or figuratively ( obstacle , enticement (specifically an idol), scruple )
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Obstacle that causes moral or spiritual ruin; often denotes idolatry or sin-inducing enticement, not mere difficulty.
a stumbling-block, literally or figuratively (obstacle, enticement (specifically an idol), scruple) BDB: a stumbling Usage: caused to fall, offence, × (no-) thing offered, ruin, stumbling-block.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Word Origins
מִכְשׁוֹל is built from this root: