כָּשַׁל

From the study of Proverbs 24:17

Range of meaning

To stumble, totter, stagger, or lose your footing. It is used of feet, knees and warriors in battle, and figuratively of being brought down by trouble or guilt. Here the form is passive-like ('being made to stumble').

Against the English

Most versions: 'stumbles.' WEB's 'is overthrown' is stronger than the Hebrew picture, which is a stagger and not yet a total collapse.

Used elsewhere in the period

Prov 4:12, 19 ('the way of the wicked... they do not know over what they stumble'); Isa 40:30 ('young men stumble and fall,' paired with nafal, as here); Prov 24:16 ('the wicked stumble in calamity').

From the study of Proverbs 4:12

Range of meaning

To stumble, totter, stagger, fall. Used of weak knees (Ps 109:24), of exhausted warriors (Isa 40:30) and, figuratively, of people or nations going down to ruin (Hos 14:1; Prov 24:16–17). The Niphal form here is the usual form for "be made to stumble / stumble".

Against the English

"Stumble" is the right word. Modern church usage, though, often narrows "stumble" to "commit a small sin". The Hebrew picture is falling down, often with disaster in view.

How it drifted

Later Christian usage ("stumbling into sin", "stumbling block") has given the word a mostly moral, inward meaning.

Used elsewhere in the period

Prov 4:19 (same chapter): "the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble." Isa 40:30–31 puts stumbling and running side by side: young men "stumble badly", but those who wait for the LORD "run and do not grow weary".

From the study of Isaiah 40:30

Range of meaning

Kashal means to stumble, totter, stagger, have one's knees give way. It extends to being overthrown or brought down (Isa 3:8; Hos 14:1). It is often used of soldiers: Jer 46:6, 12 ('warrior stumbles over warrior, both fall together'); Nah 2:5; 3:3. Here the bare infinitive comes before the finite verb, and Hebrew uses that doubling to intensify.

Against the English

KJV/WEB 'utterly fall' and YLT 'utterly stumble' keep the intensity. NASB 'stumble badly' does too. BSB/NIV 'stumble and fall' spread the intensity over two verbs. ESV and NLT 'fall exhausted', 'fall in exhaustion' bring out the cause.

Used elsewhere in the period

Isa 5:27 describes the invading Assyrian army: 'none is weary (ayef), none stumbles (koshel) among them'. Isa 40:30 uses the same pair of ideas to say the opposite of any human force: in the end even the strongest stumble. See also Isa 59:10, 63:13.