Lexical Summary mephits: Scourge, scatterer Original Word: מֵפִיץ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance maul From puwts; a breaker, i.e. Mallet -- maul. see HEBREW puwts NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom puts Definition scatterer, disperser NASB Translation club (1), one who scatters (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs מֵפִיץ noun masculine scatterer, disperser; — Nahum 2:2 (si vera 1.), but read perhaps מַמֵּץ club, hammer JDMich We Now; so also Proverbs 25:18, compare Toy. Topical Lexicon Biblical Occurrence מֵפִיץ appears once in the Old Testament, in Proverbs 25:18. Context within Proverbs 25:18 “Like a club or sword or sharp arrow is the man who bears false witness against his neighbor.” The verse forms a triad of weapons—club, sword, arrow—to portray escalating harm. מֵפִיץ heads the list as the blunt, crushing implement. The proverb links perjury to physical violence, teaching that false testimony is not a harmless sin of speech but an assault that can maim reputations, livelihoods, and even lives. Imagery of a Crushing Weapon Ancient clubs were solid wooden or metal-headed instruments designed to shatter bone, armor, and walls. By beginning with such a weapon, Solomon intensifies the moral warning: fraudulent words, though seemingly intangible, can leave damage as irreversible as a smashed limb. The parallel to a sword (piercing) and arrow (distant, swift) shows that deceit can strike at close quarters, at range, and in every form in between. Historical Background In Near-Eastern warfare the maul or club was carried by foot soldiers who engaged the enemy line-to-line. It required strength and proximity, making it a vivid metaphor for deliberate, forceful wrongdoing. Judicial proceedings in Israel depended on truthful witnesses (Exodus 20:16; Deuteronomy 19:15). A perjurer therefore resembled a combatant who breaks ranks to bludgeon his own neighbor. The Law demanded that a false witness receive the penalty he sought for the accused (Deuteronomy 19:18-19), underscoring the proverb’s severity. Theological and Ethical Implications 1. Sanctity of Truth. Scripture anchors truthfulness in the character of God (Numbers 23:19; John 14:6). False witness contradicts divine nature. Intertextual Resonance • Jeremiah 51:20 speaks of a “war club” (though a different Hebrew term), showing how the instrument symbolized decisive force. Application for Ministry Discipleship. Teach believers that honesty is both defensive and offensive in spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:14). Counseling. When mediating conflict, treat slander as genuine violence needing repentance and restitution, not merely poor etiquette. Church Discipline. Apply Matthew 18:16-17 carefully; unrepentant perjury strikes at the Body’s unity and calls for corrective love. Public Witness. Encourage Christians in business, media, and law to embody truthfulness, standing against the cultural normalization of spin and defamation. Homiletical and Discipleship Pointers • Illustration: Compare a modern courtroom gavel with the ancient club—both can deliver judgment depending on the integrity of witness. Conclusion מֵפִיץ reminds readers that the tongue, when wielded deceitfully, becomes a brutal weapon. Proverbs 25:18 calls the covenant community to uphold truth, protect neighbor, and mirror the character of the God who cannot lie. Forms and Transliterations מֵפִ֣יץ מפיץ mê·p̄îṣ meFitz mêp̄îṣLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Proverbs 25:18 HEB: מֵפִ֣יץ וְ֭חֶרֶב וְחֵ֣ץ NAS: [Like] a club and a sword and a sharp KJV: against his neighbour [is] a maul, and a sword, INT: a club sword arrow 1 Occurrence |
    |