To rule
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H4910 is a Hebrew verb for ruling, governing, exercising dominion, or holding authority over a people, territory, activity, or created sphere. Second Samuel 23:3 describes the ruler over people as ruling with justice and in the fear of God, giving moral content to the office.
Reader summary
Full entry for מָשַׁל (H4910) · Open the biblical lexicon
H4910 is a Hebrew verb for ruling, governing, exercising dominion, or holding authority over a people, territory, activity, or created sphere. Second Samuel 23:3 describes the ruler over people as ruling with justice and in the fear of God, giving moral content to the office.
The BSB source-word alignment has 81 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include Rule (10), ruler (5), will rule (4), He ruled (3), ruled (2).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 1:18. Its strongest book concentrations include Proverbs (11), Isaiah (10), Psalms (10), Genesis (8).
H4910 is a Hebrew verb for ruling, governing, exercising dominion, or holding authority over a people, territory, activity, or created sphere. Second Samuel 23:3 describes the ruler over people as ruling with justice and in the fear of God, giving moral content to the office. First Chronicles 29:12 confesses that the Lord rules over all and possesses power to exalt and strengthen.
Genesis 1:18 assigns the lights to preside over day and night, an ordered function within creation rather than personal sovereignty. Other passages narrate kings who rule as they please, oppressed communities ruled harshly, and disputed requests for dynastic government. H4910 opens authority, public responsibility, creaturely dominion, and God's final sovereignty.
It corrects both anarchic suspicion of every form of governance and the claim that possession of power proves divine favor, moral competence, or entitlement to control another person's conscience.
H4910 describes the exercise of rule or dominion by God, kings, officials, people, nations, or created lights. Its moral evaluation comes from the ruler's character, the manner and object of rule, covenant obligations, and the results named by the passage.
The God of Israel spoke; the Rock of Israel said to me, ‘He who rules the people with justice, who rules in the fear of God,
David's final oracle commends rule over people that is exercised with justice and in the fear of God.
Both riches and honor come from You, and You are the ruler over all. In Your hands are power and might to exalt and give strength to all.
David confesses that riches and honor come from God, who rules over all and gives strength.
To preside over the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.
The greater and lesser lights are appointed to preside over day and night within God's good created order.
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders ItA compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
Hebrew word. To exercise authority or dominion; often God's sovereign reign over creation and human affairs
To exercise authority or dominion; often God's sovereign reign over creation and human affairs
to rule BDB: rule Usage: (have, make to have) dominion, governor, × indeed, reign, (bear, cause to, have) rule(-ing, -r), have power.
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Showing 1 selected witness from 82 lexical occurrence verses.
מָשַׁל is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
H4910 presents rule as both necessary and dangerous. Created lights govern their appointed times without becoming divine, and human communities need ordered responsibility. Yet Scripture never lets authority define its own goodness. David's oracle joins ruling people with justice and the fear of God. Chronicles praises the Lord as ruler over all, placing every human king beneath a greater throne.
Other texts remember rulers whose power produced tribute, distress, war, or humiliation, and Daniel portrays a king who does as he pleases before his kingdom is broken. Possession of dominion can therefore reveal an assignment, a political fact, or even judgment without certifying the ruler's conduct. Christian application should emphasize limited jurisdiction, transparent standards, protection for vulnerable people, and remedies when power is abused.
A parent, pastor, employer, magistrate, or ministry board cannot borrow God's absolute sovereignty. Their authority is creaturely and accountable. Faithful rule serves the good of those entrusted, welcomes truthful correction, and refuses to turn dependence into exploitation. Where authority becomes coercive or unjust, the biblical vocabulary of rule supplies no shield against lament, resistance, appeal, or judgment.
2Sam.23.3
H4910 is a verbal root for ruling or having dominion. Subjects range from God and kings to people and heavenly lights, so English choices such as rule, reign, govern, have power, or preside should follow the subject, object, and domain.
New Testament teaching places governing authorities under God, requires shepherds not to dominate, and proclaims Christ's final kingdom. These connections confirm accountable authority without mapping an Israelite monarchy directly onto a modern state or church office.