Lexical Summary luz: To turn aside, to depart, to be perverse Original Word: לוּז Strong's Exhaustive Concordance depart, froward, perverseness A primitive root; to turn aside (compare lavah, luwt and luwn), i.e. (literally) to depart, (figuratively) be perverse -- depart, froward, perverse(-ness). see HEBREW lavah see HEBREW luwt see HEBREW luwn NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to turn aside, depart NASB Translation depart (1), devious (3), guile (1), vanish (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [לוּז] verb (in poetry, mostly Wisdom Literature) turn aside, depart (Late Hebrew Niph`al, Hiph`il; Arabic  have recourse to, take refuge in); — Qal Imperfect מֵעֵינֶ֑יךָ אַליָֿלֻזוּ Proverbs 3:21 let them not (i.e. sound wisdom, etc., si vera 1., compare VB) depart from thine eyes (see Hiph`il). Niph`al Participle נָלוֺז Proverbs 3:32; Isaiah 30:12; construct נְלוֺז Proverbs 14:2; pluralנְלוֺזִים Proverbs 2:15; — figurative, devious, crooked, בְּמַעְגְּלֹתָם ׳נ Proverbs 2:15 ׅ "" (עִקְּשִׁים; דְּרָכָיו ׳נ Proverbs 14:2; as substantive of person Proverbs 3:32; of course of action Isaiah 30:12 ׅ "" (עשֶׁק, i.e. crookedness = craftiness, cunning, compare De Che Di. Hiph`il Imperfect אַליַֿלִּיזוּ מֵעֵינֶיךָ Proverbs 4:21 (subject דְּבָרַי let them [my words] not depart (on form see Ges§ 72 R. 9) from thine eyes (strictly, let them not practise, exhibit, deviation, direct causative, Köi. 205). Topical Lexicon Meaning and Nuance The verb לוּז traces the moral movement of a person who “turns aside,” “deviates,” or “acts crookedly.” It pictures a conscious departure from the straight course laid out by God’s wisdom, whether by slipping away from truth, twisting justice, or embracing deceit. Occurrences in Wisdom Literature 1. Proverbs 2:15 describes the wicked “whose paths are crooked, and who are devious in their ways”. Here, לוּז marks the settled habit of sinners who bend every road to serve their own ends. Prophetic Use Isaiah 30:12 exposes Judah’s political scheming: “Because you have rejected this message, trusting in oppression, and relying on deceit”. National policy built on לוּז—perverse reliance on human alliances and dishonest power—invites catastrophic judgment. The prophet unmasks crooked diplomacy as faithlessness. Thematic Contrasts: Straight versus Crooked Throughout Scripture, righteousness is pictured as a straight, level way prepared by the Lord (Isaiah 40:3; Proverbs 3:6). לוּז forms the antithesis: a bent road that strays from covenant loyalty. The contrast is moral (uprightness vs. perversity), relational (friendship with God vs. alienation), and eschatological (life vs. ruin). Theological Implications 1. Anthropology: Deviation arises from the heart (Proverbs 4:23). Humanity’s problem is not ignorance alone but inward inclination to twist what is right. Practical Ministry Applications • Teaching: Impress Scripture continually so that congregations “do not lose sight” of wisdom. Repetition safeguards against drift. In every occurrence, לוּז calls God’s people to vigilant fidelity—a life directed by the unerring line of divine wisdom rather than the serpentine routes of self-will. Forms and Transliterations וְנָל֔וֹז וּ֝נְלוֹזִ֗ים וּנְל֖וֹז ונלוז ונלוזים יַלִּ֥יזוּ יָלֻ֣זוּ ילזו יליזו נָל֑וֹז נלוז nā·lō·wz nālōwz naLoz ū·nə·lō·w·zîm ū·nə·lō·wz ūnəlōwz ūnəlōwzîm uneLoz uneloZim venaLoz wə·nā·lō·wz wənālōwz yā·lu·zū yal·lî·zū yalLizu yallîzū yaLuzu yāluzūLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Proverbs 2:15 HEB: אָרְחֹתֵיהֶ֣ם עִקְּשִׁ֑ים וּ֝נְלוֹזִ֗ים בְּמַעְגְּלוֹתָֽם׃ NAS: are crooked, And who are devious in their ways; KJV: [are] crooked, and [they] froward in their paths: INT: paths are crooked are devious their ways Proverbs 3:21 Proverbs 3:32 Proverbs 4:21 Proverbs 14:2 Isaiah 30:12 6 Occurrences |
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