What does מַעְגָּל (ma‘agal) mean in the Bible?
מַעְגָּל (ma‘agal): Circular path or enclosure marking a bounded space; tracks worn by repeated movement through terrain or life
Hebrew · H4570
מַעְגָּל
A track (literally or figuratively); also a rampart (as circular )
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מַעְגָּלH4570
Pronunciationma‘agal
What does מַעְגָּל (ma‘agal) mean in the Bible?
מַעְגָּל (ma‘agal): Circular path or enclosure marking a bounded space; tracks worn by repeated movement through terrain or life
Full entry for מַעְגָּל (H4570) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H4570?
The BSB source-word alignment has 16 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include path (3), and her tracks (1), and whose ways (1), and Your paths (1), her ways (1).
Where does מַעְגָּל (ma‘agal) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at 1 Samuel 17:20. Its strongest book concentrations include Proverbs (7), Psalms (4), 1 Samuel (3), Isaiah (2).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itpath3×Proverbs 2:9, Proverbs 4:26, Isaiah 26:7
and her tracks1×Proverbs 2:18
and whose ways1×Proverbs 2:15
and Your paths1×Psalms 65:11
her ways1×Proverbs 5:6
his paths1×Proverbs 5:21
in the inner circle of the camp1×1 Samuel 26:7
in the paths1×Psalms 23:3
in their tracks1×Isaiah 59:8
inside the inner circle of the camp1×1 Samuel 26:5
paths1×Proverbs 4:11
the camp1×1 Samuel 17:20
the path1×Psalms 140:5
to Your paths1×Psalms 17:5
Show sample aligned rows
1 Samuel 17:20הַמַּעְגָּ֔לָהtothe campArticle | Noun - masculine singular | third person feminine singular1 Samuel 26:5בַּמַּעְגָּ֔לtoinside the inner circle of the campPreposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular1 Samuel 26:7בַּמַּעְגָּ֔לtoin the inner circle of the campPreposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularPsalms 17:5בְּמַעְגְּלוֹתֶ֑יךָtoto Your pathsPreposition-b | Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine singularPsalms 23:3בְמַעְגְּלֵי־toin the pathsPreposition-b | Noun - masculine plural constructPsalms 65:11וּ֝מַעְגָּלֶ֗יךָtoand Your pathsConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularPsalms 140:5מַעְגָּ֑לtothe pathNoun - masculine singularProverbs 2:9מַעְגַּל־topathNoun - masculine singular constructProverbs 2:15בְּמַעְגְּלוֹתָֽם׃toand whose waysPreposition-b | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine pluralProverbs 2:18מַעְגְּלֹתֶֽיהָ׃toand her tracksNoun - feminine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row1 Samuel 17:20
Aligned rows16
Books represented4
1 Samuel3Psalms4Proverbs7Isaiah2
Source forms
בַּמַּעְגָּ֔ל2xbam·ma‘·gāl1 Samuel 26:5, 1 Samuel 26:7
בְּמַעְגְּלוֹתֶ֑יךָ1xbə·ma‘·gə·lō·w·ṯe·ḵāPsalms 17:5
בְּמַעְגְּלוֹתָ֑ם1xbə·ma‘·gə·lō·w·ṯāmIsaiah 59:8
בְּמַעְגְּלוֹתָֽם׃1xbə·ma‘·gə·lō·w·ṯāmProverbs 2:15
בְמַעְגְּלֵי־1xḇə·ma‘·gə·lê-Psalms 23:3
בְּמַעְגְּלֵי־1xbə·ma‘·gə·lê-Proverbs 4:11
הַמַּעְגָּ֔לָה1xham·ma‘·gā·lāh1 Samuel 17:20
וּ֝מַעְגָּלֶ֗יךָ1xū·ma‘·gā·le·ḵāPsalms 65:11
Parsing patterns
Noun - masculine singular construct3xProverbs 2:9, Proverbs 4:26, Isaiah 26:7
Noun - feminine plural construct | third person feminine singular2xProverbs 2:18, Proverbs 5:6
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine plural2xProverbs 2:15, Isaiah 59:8
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct2xPsalms 23:3, Proverbs 4:11
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular2x1 Samuel 26:5, 1 Samuel 26:7
Article | Noun - masculine singular | third person feminine singular1x1 Samuel 17:20
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular1xPsalms 65:11
Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singular1xProverbs 5:21
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Circular path or enclosure marking a bounded space; tracks worn by repeated movement through terrain or life
Source Gloss
a track (literally or figuratively); also a rampart (as circular )
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Circular path or enclosure marking a bounded space; tracks worn by repeated movement through terrain or life
a track (literally or figuratively); also a rampart (as circular) BDB: entrenchment Usage: going, path, trench, way(-side).
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
a track or course of life
In your paths; literally 'entrenchments' or 'wagon ruts'; refers to established ways of living
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 16 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
מַעְגָּל is built from this root:
עָגֹלH5696
Why This Word Matters
Wisdom directs the overall trajectory of a person’s life.Proverbs 4:20-27
Canonical Themes
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.