Lexical Summary leked: Gleaning Original Word: לֶכֶד Strong's Exhaustive Concordance being taken From lakad; something to capture with, i.e. A noose -- being taken. see HEBREW lakad NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom lakad Definition a taking, capture NASB Translation caught (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [לֶ֫כֶד] noun [masculine] a taking, capture (compare Psalm 9:16) וְשָׁמַר רַגְלְךָ מִלָּ֑כֶד Proverbs 3:26 subject ׳י). Topical Lexicon Meaning and Imageryלֶכֶד evokes the picture of a hidden noose or spring‐trap laid to capture the unsuspecting. The word’s solitary use heightens its impact: it is not one snare among many, but the emblem for every kind of unseen danger that threatens a person’s walk with God. In Israel’s agrarian world, a “snare” commonly was a flexible branch or cord triggered by light pressure. The metaphor thus carries ideas of stealth, suddenness, confinement, and often death. Immediate Context in Proverbs 3:26 Proverbs 3:26: “for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from the snare.” The verse concludes a section (Proverbs 3:21-26) urging the pursuit of wisdom and discretion. Here לֶכֶד serves as the negative counterpart to divine security. When the Lord is one’s “confidence,” hidden traps lose their power. The sage assumes that dangers are real and present, yet insists that covenant trust and practical wisdom form an invisible shield. The image of a protected “foot” alludes to one’s life path (Psalm 119:105), suggesting that every step is ordered and preserved. Connections with Old Testament Themes 1. Divine Protection: Psalm 91:3 speaks of deliverance “from the snare of the fowler,” echoing the same motif of God rescuing His people from concealed threats. Echoes in Wisdom Literature Wisdom protects from external peril (snares) and internal folly. The one occurrence of לֶכֶד in Proverbs implies that recognizing and avoiding life’s traps is inseparable from reverence for the LORD (Proverbs 1:7). Thus the term becomes shorthand for every pitfall wisdom intends to avoid. Typological and Prophetic Resonances Scripture often pictures Israel—and ultimately Messiah—as preserved from snares. Psalm 124:7 celebrates, “We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowler.” Christ’s flawless obedience fulfilled that pattern, navigating every concealed trap set by Satan (Matthew 4:1-11). His victory becomes the believer’s assurance that the Father still “keeps our feet.” New Testament Parallels 2 Timothy 2:26 warns of those captured “by the devil’s snare,” showing continuity between Testaments: unseen spiritual forces still set traps, and deliverance still depends upon God’s initiative. 1 Thessalonians 5:22-24 couples personal vigilance with God’s faithfulness, mirroring Proverbs 3:26. Practical and Ministry Implications • Counseling: Point strugglers to the promise that trust in the LORD disables the snare’s trigger. Homiletical Suggestions A sermon titled “Feet Kept from the Snare” might trace: (1) the reality of hidden dangers, (2) the sufficiency of divine wisdom, (3) the victory of Christ over every trap, and (4) the believer’s confidence to walk boldly. Invite hearers to commit their “steps” (Proverbs 16:9) to the Lord who alone can see every לֶכֶד along the path. Forms and Transliterations מִלָּֽכֶד׃ מלכד׃ mil·lā·ḵeḏ milLached millāḵeḏLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Proverbs 3:26 HEB: וְשָׁמַ֖ר רַגְלְךָ֣ מִלָּֽכֶד׃ אַל־ תִּמְנַע־ NAS: your foot from being caught. KJV: thy foot from being taken. INT: and will keep your foot caught nay deny 1 Occurrence |
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