Lexical Definition

‎מָשָׁל‎ mâshâl (maw-shawl') proverb ^H:N-M
apparently from ‎מָשַׁל‎ in some original sense of superiority in mental action

byword, like, parable, proverb.

• properly, a pithy maxim, usually of metaphorical nature
• hence, a simile (as an adage, poem, discourse)

1) proverb, parable
1a) proverb, proverbial saying, aphorism
1b) byword
1c) similitude, parable
1d) poem
1e) sentences of ethical wisdom, ethical maxims

Brown-Driver-Briggs

II. ‎מָשָׁל‎ noun masculine^{Isa 14:4} proverb, parable (of sentences constructed in parallelism, usually of Hebrew Wisdom, but occasionally of other types); — absolute ‎׳‎‎מ‎ Ezek 17:2 + 20 t.; construct ‎מְשַׁל‎ 1Sam 24:14* suffix ‎מְשָׁלוֺ‎ Num 23:7 + 8 t.; plural ‎מְשָׁלִים‎ Eccl 12:9 + 2 t.; construct ‎מִשְׁלֵי‎ Prov 1:1 + 3 t.; —

1. proverbial saying, brief terse sentence of popular sagacity 1Sam 10:12; Ezek 12:22; Ezek 12:23; Ezek 18:2; Ezek 18:3 ‎הַקַדְמֹנִי‎ ‎׳‎‎מ‎ 1Sam 24:14* proverb of the ancients.

2. by-word Ps 44:15*; Ps 69:12* ‎לְמָשָׁל‎ ‎וְלִשְׁנִינָה‎ Deut 28:37; 1Kgs 9:7; 2Chr 7:20; Jer 24:9 ‎לְאוֺת‎ ‎וּלְמָשָׁל‎ Ezek 14:8

3. prophetic figurative discourse: ‎נָשָׂא מָשָׁל‎ lift up, utter a ‎׳‎‎מ‎ Num 23:7; Num 23:18; Num 24:3; Num 24:15; Num 24:20; Num 24:21; Num 24:23 (all of Balaam); Isa 14:4; Mic 2:4 (|| ‎נהי‎) Hab 2:6 (|| ‎חידה‎), (compare Job 27:1; Job 29:1 for same phrase under 6).

4. similitude, parable, Ezek 17:2; Ezek 21:5*; Ezek 24:3.

5. poem, of various kinds: the ode (Num 21:27-30), the 3,000 pieces traditionally ascribed to Solomon 1Kgs 5:12*, didactic psalms Ps 49:5*; Ps 78:2.

6. sentences of ethical wisdom ‎דִּבְרֵי חֲכָמִים‎ collected in the ‎מִשְׁלֵי שְׁלֹמֹה‎ Prov 10:1; Prov 25:1 (Prov 10:1-22:16 consisting of 376 couplets chiefly antithetical; Prov 25:1-29:200 chiefly couplets of an emblematic type, but also occasional tristichs, tetrastichs, pentastichs, and decastichs. To these are appended ‎דְּבָרִים‎ of a more mixed character as to size and content Prov 30:1-14 vProv 30:15-33; Prov 31:1-9 vProv 31:10-31 the Praise of Wisdom Prov 1:8-9 is prefixed, and an introduction to the whole Prov 1:1-7, in which the whole contents are represented as) ‎משׁלים‎ Prov 1:1, compare vProv 1:6. The references in Job 13:12; Job 27:1; Job 29:1; Prov 26:7; Prov 26:9; Eccl 12:9 are to the same type of wisdom.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References