3891. lazuth
Lexical Summary
lazuth: Scorn, Mockery

Original Word: לְזוּת
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: lzuwth
Pronunciation: lah-ZOOTH
Phonetic Spelling: (lez-ooth')
KJV: perverse
NASB: devious
Word Origin: [from H3868 (לוּז - devious)]

1. perverseness

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
perverse

From luwz; perverseness -- perverse.

see HEBREW luwz

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from luz
Definition
deviation, crookedness
NASB Translation
devious (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
[לָזוּת] noun feminine deviation, crookedness (figurative); — only construct לְזוּת שְׂפָתַיִם Proverbs 4:24 (on form compare Ol§ 219aii. 166, 474).

Topical Lexicon
Definition and Scope

Lezuth denotes speech that deviates from the straight path of truth—crooked, deceitful, or perverse language. Although the word appears only once (Proverbs 4:24), its conceptual field is broad, encompassing any form of verbal distortion that undermines covenant faithfulness.

Biblical Usage

Proverbs 4:24 commands: “Put away deception from your mouth; keep your lips from perverse speech.” Here lezuth is set in parallel with “perverse” lips, underscoring a deliberate twisting of truth. The verse falls within a parental exhortation (Proverbs 4:1-27) urging the next generation to pursue wisdom’s “straight path” (verse 11). Lezuth therefore represents the antithesis of wisdom’s clarity and righteousness.

Historical and Cultural Background

In ancient Near Eastern society, oral communication carried legal, economic, and relational weight. A man’s word could seal contracts, secure alliances, and attest in court. Deceptive speech threatened communal stability and violated the covenant ideal of “truth in the inward parts” (Psalm 51:6). Israel’s wisdom literature exposes this peril, warning that communal life unravels wherever lezuth prevails.

Theological Insights

1. Moral Orientation: Crooked speech is linked to a crooked heart (Proverbs 6:12-14). Lezuth is thus not merely a social faux pas but evidence of internal rebellion.
2. Covenant Loyalty: Yahweh is characterized by unwavering faithfulness (Deuteronomy 32:4). Lezuth, as deviation, clashes with His nature and invites judgment (Psalm 101:7).
3. Sanctification of Speech: The redemptive trajectory of Scripture points from the corruption of language at Babel (Genesis 11) to the sanctification of tongues at Pentecost (Acts 2). Wisdom’s ban on lezuth anticipates the New Testament call: “Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths” (Ephesians 4:29).

Intertextual Connections

• “A devious (iqqesh) mouth” (Proverbs 8:13) parallels the concept of lezuth, highlighting the synergy of twisted speech and pride.
• “They speak falsehood; every one with his neighbor” (Psalm 12:2) illustrates the social breakdown lezuth precipitates.
• “No lie was found in their mouths” (Revelation 14:5) presents the eschatological reversal, depicting the redeemed as entirely free from lezuth-like speech.

Practical Ministry Implications

• Discipleship: Faith communities should train believers to discern and reject deceitful rhetoric—whether gossip, manipulation, or doctrinal error.
• Counseling: Addressing habitual lying requires heart-level repentance, not mere behavioral adjustment, for “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34).
• Preaching and Teaching: Expositors must model linguistic integrity, letting lezuth have no footing in proclamation or private conversation.

Christological Fulfillment

Jesus Christ, “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14), embodies the opposite of lezuth. His flawless speech fulfills wisdom’s ideal and empowers believers, through the indwelling Spirit, to walk in truthful conversation (Colossians 3:9-10).

Summary

Lezuth stands as a concise yet potent warning against any speech that veers from God’s straight path. Guarding the tongue against such deviation safeguards personal integrity, strengthens community trust, and reflects the character of the One who is Himself “the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).

Forms and Transliterations
וּלְז֥וּת ולזות ū·lə·zūṯ uleZut ūləzūṯ
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Proverbs 4:24
HEB: עִקְּשׁ֣וּת פֶּ֑ה וּלְז֥וּת שְׂ֝פָתַ֗יִם הַרְחֵ֥ק
NAS: mouth And put devious speech far
KJV: mouth, and perverse lips
INT: A deceitful mouth devious speech and put

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 3891
1 Occurrence


ū·lə·zūṯ — 1 Occ.

3890
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