כִּשָּׁלוֹן
𐤊𐤔𐤋𐤅𐤍
kishshâlôwn
H3783 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A falling, collapse, or act of stumbling; a moment of failure, weakness, or defeat, especially in a communal or military context. The term most commonly refers to the downfall of individuals or groups, whether literal (physically falling) or metaphorical (experiencing ruin or defeat).
Semantic Range
falling, collapse, ruin, defeat, moment of stumbling, weakening, national or communal downfall
Root / Etymology
From the root כשל meaning 'to stumble, totter, falter.' כִּשָּׁלוֹן (kishshâlôwn) is a noun formation indicating the event or state of stumbling or collapse. The root conveys instability or loss of equilibrium, while the noun denotes the resulting event or condition.
Historical & Contextual Notes
כִּשָּׁלוֹן appears predominantly in late biblical texts, notably in the prophetic literature (e.g., Ezekiel, Jeremiah) in contexts describing the downfall or collapse of a nation, people, or city. While the root כשל is attested earlier with a primary sense of physical stumbling, the noun form kishshâlôwn is rare and tends to carry a more figurative sense, often referring to collective defeat or ruin in times of crisis. Over time, its usage broadened from physical stumbling to encompass disaster, national defeat, or moral failure. The standard English translation 'fall' or 'ruin' may obscure the word's range, which includes both the moment of collapse and the broader condition of being brought low. It is distinct from other Hebrew terms for destruction (e.g., שֶׁבֶר 'shéver'—'breaking, fracture'), as it focuses on the idea of stumbling or faltering rather than outright shattering.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from כָּשַׁל; properly, a tottering, i.e. ruin; fall.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
כשל (k-š-l) — to stumble, totter, falter
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3781 | כַּשִּׁיל | with a felling-axe |
| H3782 | כָּשַׁל | the one who has stumbled |
| H4384 | מַכְשֵׁלָה | the stumbling-cause |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3783-01 |
כִ֝שָּׁל֗וֹן | khishalon | HNcmsa |
a fall | stumbling-collapse | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3783-01 |
Proverbs 16:18 | כִ֝שָּׁל֗וֹן | khishalon | HNcmsa |
a fall | stumbling-collapse |