Strong's Lexicon: H3956 לָשׁוֹן לָשׁוֹן לְשׁוֹנָה

Definition / Gloss

Strong's Number:	H3956
Word:	לָשׁוֹן לָשׁוֹן לְשׁוֹנָה
Part of Speech:	noun masc
Etymology:	from H3960
Language:	Hebrew
Occurrences:	117
Transliteration:	lashown
Phonetic Spelling/Pronunciation:	law-shone' (or lashon {law-shone'} also (in plural) feminine lshonah {lesh-o-naw'};) n-m.
Meaning:	1. the tongue (of man or animals), used literally (as the instrument of licking, eating, or speech), and figuratively (speech, an ingot, a fork of flame, a cove of water)
KJV Renderings:	+ babbler,bay, + evil speaker, language, talker, tongue, wedge.

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Brown-Driver-Briggs Enhanced

BDB4473

לָשׁוֺן noun masculine^{Josh 7:21} and (more often) feminine^{Isa 28:11} tongue (Late Hebrew id.; also Assyrian lišânu ; Arabic [untranscribed source text 2863]; Ethiopic [untranscribed source text 2864]; Aramaic לִשָּׁן, לִישָּׁן, [untranscribed source text 2865] (all li-); Zinjirli לשן DHM^{Sendsch. 59}); — absolute ׳ ל Exod 4:10 +; הַלָּשֹׁן Josh 15:2 construct לְשׁוֺן Josh 7:21 +; suffix לְשׁוֺנִי 2Sam 23:2 לְשֹׁנוֺ Exod 11:7 + 2 t.; לְשׁוֺנוֺ Judg 7:5; Esth 1:22 לְשׁוֺנְךָ Ps 34:14 לְשׁוֺנְכֶם Isa 59:3, etc.; plural לְשֹׁנוֺת absolute Ps 31:21; Isa 66:18 construct Zech 8:23 suffix לְשֹׁנֹתָם Gen 10:20; Gen 10:31 —

1. tongue of men,

a. used in lapping Judg 7:5 cleaving to the palate (חֵק ), in thirst Lam 4:4, so as to produce dumbness Job 29:10 (|| קוֺל נֶחְבָּא), Ps 137:6; Ezek 3:26 (|| נֶאֱלַם); cleaving to jaws (מַלְקוֺחַ) Ps 22:16 בַּצָּמָא נָשָׁ֑תָּה ׳ ל Isa 41:17 their tongue for thirst is parched; תִּמַּק בְּפִיהֶם ׳ לְ Zech 14:12 (of ׳ י's judgment); a choice morsel is held ׳ תַּחַת ל Job 20:12 (figurative of mischief), compare Ps 10:7 (ready to be uttered), Ps 66:17 (|| פֶּה), Song 4:11.

b. usually as organ of speech, both good and bad (especially Psalms, Proverbs, often || פֶּה, שָׂפָה); — ׳ כְּבַד ל Exod 4:10 ( J ) heavy of tongue; ׳ מַעֲנֵה ל Prov 16:1, מִלָּתוֺ עַללְֿשׁוֺנִי 2Sam 23:2, compare Prov 31:26; Ps 139:4 (׳ בִּל), הֲיֵשׁ בִּלְשׁוֺנִי עַוְלָה Job 6:30 ׳ מָוֶת וְחַיִּים בְּיַד ל Prov 18:21 , compare Prov 21:23; Prov 25:15 of (false) prophets, ׳ הַלֹּקְהִים ל Jer 23:31 subject of verb of speaking, בֶּר Di — בִחִכִּי דִּבְּרָה לְשׁוֺנִי Job 33:2; Ps 12:4; Ps 37:30 compare (Jer 9:7 below and) ֗֗֗ תְּמַהֵר ׳ ל לְדַבֵּר Isa 32:4, לְשׁוֺנִי עֵט סֹפֵר מָהִיר Ps 45:2, i.e. as swift as a rapid scribe's stylus; subject of הָגָה Isa 59:3; Job 27:4; Ps 35:28; Ps 71:24 subject of נִשְׁבַּע Isa 45:23 תִּהַלַךְ בָּאָרֶץ ׳ ל Ps 73:9 of hostile speech, insolence, etc., Josh 10:21 ( J E ; object of I. חָרַץ q. v., compare 3 below), Jer 18:18; Isa 3:8 ׳ זַעַם ל Hos 7:16 (but text dubious, compare We Now), חֶרֶב חַדָּה ׳ ל Ps 57:6, compare Ps 64:4 כְּמוֺ ׳ נָחָשׁ שָֽׁנְנוּ ל Ps 140:4 תָּקוּם אִתָּךְ ׳ כָּללֿ Isa 54:17 ׳ הֶאֱרִיךְ ל Isa 57:4 further, Jer 9:2; Jer 9:4 as instrument of seductive flattery (הֶחֱלִיק), without בְּ, Ps 5:10; Prov 28:33 , compare ׳ נָכְרִיָּה חֶלְקַת לָ Prov 6:24. of falsehood Ps 78:36 (compare below); of slander (compare לושֵׁן) ׳ רָגַל עַללֿ Ps 15:3, אִישׁ לָשׁוֺן Ps 140:12 , compare סָ֑תֶר ׳ לְ Prov 25:33 ׳ חָטָא בְּל Ps 39:2 compare Ps 64:9 (text dubious, see Hup Che Bae); moral qualities ascribed to: — as arrogant Ps 12:5 (compare Ps 12:4 above); as devising injuries, ׳ הַוּוֺת תַּחְשֹׁב ל Ps 52:4, compare הַוֺת ׳ לְ Prov 17:4 תַּצְמִיד מִרְמָה ׳ ל Ps 50:19 nectere fraudem; ׳ מֵרָ֑ע נְצֹר ל Ps 34:14 ׅ || (וּשְׂפָתֶיךָ מִדַּבֵּר מִרְמָה; often of lying tongue: לְשׁוֺן שֶׁקֶר Prov 6:17; Prov 12:19 ; Prov 21:6 ; Prov 26:28; Ps 109:2 מִרְמָה ׳ לְ Ps 52:6 רְמִיָּה ׳ לָ Mic 6:12; Ps 120:2; Ps 120:3 תַּרְמִית ׳ לְ Zeph 3:13 תַּהְפֻּכוֺת ׳ לְ Prov 10:31 , and ׳ נֶהְפָּךְ בִּל Prov 17:20 עֲרוּמִים ׳ ל Job 15:5 also מִרְמָה דִּבֵּ֑ר ׳ ל Jer 9:7 on the other hand צַדִּיק ׳ לְ Prov 10:20 חֲכָמִים ׳ ל Prov 12:18 ; Prov 15:2 ׳ מַרְפֵּה לָ Prov 15:4 לִמּוּדִים ׳ לְ Isa 50:4. — Note phrases ׳ שׁוֺט ל Job 5:21 scourge of (the) tongue, רִיב לְשֹׁנוֺת Ps 31:21 פַּלַּג לְשׁוֺנָם Ps 55:10: also ׳ בַּעַל הַלּ Eccl 10:11 (of serpent-charmer), and ׳ וַתֵּעֲלוּ עַלשְֿׂפַת ל Ezek 36:3. — On tongue of ׳ י (once), see 4 below

c. organ of singing, subject of רָנַן Ps 51:16; Ps 126:2; Isa 35:6, עָנָה Ps 119:172.

2. = language Deut 28:49; Jer 5:15 and later, namely: Ezek 3:5 ; Ezek 3:6 ( ׳ כִּבְדֵי ל, || עִמְקֵי שָׂפָה, but strike out ᵐ5 Manuscripts Co Sgfr^KauAT), Isa 28:11 (|| אַחֶרֶת ׳ ל, לַעֲגֵי שָׂפָה, figurative of ׳ י's unintelligible dealings); ׳ עַם ֗֗֗ נִלְעַג ל Isa 33:19 (|| עִמְקֵי שָׂפָה); Isa 66:18 (|| גּוֺיִם), Zech 8:23; Gen 10:5; Gen 10:20; Gen 10:31 (all P ), Neh 13:24; Esth 1:22 (twice in verse); Esth 3:12; Esth 8:9 (twice in verse); Dan 1:4.

3. tongue of animals: dog Exod 11:7 ( J ; object of I. חָרַץ q. v.; compare 1.b.), Ps 68:24 adder Job 20:16 (subjectof תַּהֲרֹג ); crocodile Job 40:25 .

4. tongue of fire, devouring, כֶּאֱכֹל קַשׁ לְשׁוֺן אֵשׁ Isa 5:24 compare of ׳ י, וּלְשׁוֺנוֺ כְּאֵשׁ אֹכָ֑לֶת Isa 30:27 (|| שְׂפָתָיו מָֽלְאוּ זַעַם).

5. = (tongue-shaped) wedge of gold Josh 7:21; Josh 7:24 ( J E ).

So Assyrian lišânu ; see Meissn^{ZAW xxlii {1905}, 151 f.} Johns^{Assyrian Deeds 2, 281}.

6. = (tongue-shaped) bay of sea Isa 11:15; Josh 15:2; Josh 15:5; Josh 18:19 (all P ).

BDB9646

לִשָּׁן noun masculine^{Dan 3:7} tongue ( ᵑ7 Syriac; see Biblical Hebrew לָשׁוֺן , √ לשׁן ); — tongue = language, figurative for people: absolute ׳ עַם אֻמָּה וְל Dan 3:29 plural emphatic וְלִשָּׁנַיָּא ׳ א ׳ ע Dan 3:4 Dan 3:7 v.Dan 4:31; Dan 5:19; Dan 6:26; Dan 7:14 (compare Biblical Hebrew לָשׁוֺן 2, Isa 66:18).

מָא see מָה . below

Other Resources

Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament
R. Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer, and Bruce K. Waltke

Englishman's Hebrew Concordance

לשון (h-sh hn’)

Obadiah 5:21

EHCC: the scourge of the tongue:

Obadiah 29:10

EHCC: and their tongue cleaved to the roof of

Psalms 10:7

KJV: His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity.deceit: Heb. deceitsvanity: or, iniquity

EHCC: under his tongue (is) mischief

Psalms 12:8

KJV: The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.men: Heb. of the sons of the men

EHCC: (4). the tongue that speaketh proud things:

Psalms 15:8

EHCC: backbiteth not with his tongue,

Psalms 22:15

KJV: My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.

EHCC: (16).and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws ;

Psalms 81:20

EHCC: 2[ ). from the strife of tongues.

Psalms 84:13

EHCC: 14(. Keep thy tongue from evil,

Psalms 85:28

EHCC: And my tongue shall speak of

Psalms 37:30

KJV: The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.

EHCC: and his tongue talketh of judgment,

Psalms 89:1

KJV: Maschil of Ethan the Ezrahite.I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.Maschil…: or, A Psalm for Ethan the Ezrahite, to give instructionto all…: Heb. to generation and generation

EHCC: (2).that 1 sin not with my tongue :

Psalms 45:1

KJV: To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, for the sons of Korah, Maschil, A Song of loves.My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.Maschil: or, of instructionis inditing: Heb. boileth, or, bubbleth up

EHCC: 2).my tongue (is) the pen of a ready

Psalms 50:19

KJV: Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit.givest: Heb. sendest

EHCC: and thy tongue frameth deceit,

Psalms 55:9

KJV: Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.

EHCC: (10).divide their tongues :

Psalms 57:4

KJV: My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.

EHCC: (5).und their tongue a sharp sword,

Psalms 66:17

KJV: I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue.

EHCC: he was extolled with my tongue.

Psalms 68:23

KJV: That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thine enemies, and the tongue of thy dogs in the same.dipped: or, red

EHCC: ( 24). the tongue of thy

Psalms 71:24

KJV: My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long: for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shame, that seek my hurt.

EHCC: My tongue also talk of

Psalms 73:9

KJV: They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.

EHCC: their tongue walketh through

Psalms 78:36

KJV: Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues.

EHCC: and they lied unto him with their tongues.

Psalms 109:2

KJV: For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me: they have spoken against me with a lying tongue.of the deceitful: Heb. of deceitare opened: Heb. have opened themselves

EHCC: spoken against me with a lying tongue.

Psalms 119:179

EHCC: My tongue shall speak

Psalms 120:2

KJV: Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue.

EHCC: from a deceitful tongue.

Psalms 126:2

KJV: Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them.hath…: Heb. hath magnified to do with them

EHCC: and our tongue with singing:

Psalms 337:6

EHCC: let my tongue cleave 10 the foot of my

Psalms 139:4

KJV: For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.

EHCC: not a word in my tongue,

Psalms 140:3

KJV: They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders’ poison is under their lips. Selah.

EHCC: (4). They have La pee their tongues

Proverbs 6:17

KJV: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,A proud…: Heb. Haughty eyes

EHCC: A proud look, a lying tongue,

Proverbs 10:20

KJV: The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.

EHCC: The tongue of the just

Proverbs 12:18

KJV: There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.

EHCC: bud the tongue of the wise (is) health.

Proverbs 19:4

KJV: Wealth maketh many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbour.

EHCC: lying tongue (is) but for a moment.

Proverbs 18:2

KJV: A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.

EHCC: The tongue of the wise

Proverbs 17:4

KJV: A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue.

EHCC: 4 liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue.

Proverbs 91:6

EHCC: The getting of treasures by a ווץ1

Proverbs 25:15

KJV: By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone.

EHCC: and a soft tongue breaketh the bone.

Proverbs 26:28

KJV: A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.

EHCC: 4 Tos tongue hateth

Proverbs 28:23

KJV: He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth with the tongue.

EHCC: he that flattereth with the tongue.

Proverbs 31:26

KJV: She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

EHCC: in Aer tongue (is) the law of kindness,

Ecclesiastes 10:11

KJV: Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.a babbler: Heb. the master of the tongue

EHCC: a babbler (marg. the master of the tongue)

Song of Songs 4:11

KJV: Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as the honeycomb: honey and milk are under thy tongue; and the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon.

EHCC: honey and milk (are) under thy tongue ;

Song of Songs 5:24

EHCC: the fire ( .. the tongue of fire) devoureth

Song of Songs 11:15

EHCC: the tongue of the Egyptian sea;

Song of Songs 28:11

EHCC: with stammering lips and another tongue

Song of Songs 30:27

EHCC: his tongue as a devouring fire:

Song of Songs 82:4

EHCC: and the tongue of the stammerers

Song of Songs 33:19

EHCC: of a stammering tongue,

Song of Songs 85:6

EHCC: the tongue of the dumb sing:

Song of Songs 41:17

EHCC: thetr tongue faileth for thirst,

Song of Songs 45:23

EHCC: every tongue shall swear.

Song of Songs 80:4

EHCC: the tongue of the learned,

Song of Songs 54:17

EHCC: every tongue (that) shall rise against thee

Song of Songs 57:4

EHCC: draw out the tongue?

Song of Songs 59:3

EHCC: tongue hath muttered perverseness.

Song of Songs 66:18

EHCC: 1 will gather all nations and tongues ;

Jeremiah 5:15

KJV: Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith the Lord: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say.

EHCC: nation whose language thou knowest not,

Jeremiah 9:3

KJV: And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the Lord.

EHCC: (2). they bend thelr tongues

Jeremiah 18:18

KJV: Then said they, Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.with…: or, for the tongue

EHCC: let us smite him with the tongue,

Jeremiah 23:31

KJV: Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that use their tongues, and say, He saith.that…: or, that smooth their tongues

EHCC: the prophets,...that use their tongues,

Lamentations 4:4

KJV: The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the young children ask bread, and no man breaketh it unto them.

EHCC: The tongue of the sucking child

Lamentations 36:3

EHCC: ye are taken up in the lips of talkers, ( lit,

Hosea 7:16

KJV: They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.

EHCC: the rage of their tongue:

Micah 6:19

EHCC: 684 their tongue (is) deceitful

Zephaniah 3:13

KJV: The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.

EHCC: neither shall a deceitful tongue be found

Zechariah 8:23

KJV: Thus saith the Lord of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.

EHCC: out of all languages

Strong's Lexicon

H3956 — לָשׁוֹן לָשׁוֹן לְשׁוֹנָה