Verses¶
Question¶
What do torah, mitsvah, choq, mishpat, edut, piqqud, and chuqqah mean, and do they distinguish moral from ceremonial law?
Primary Verses — Vocabulary Cluster Passages¶
Genesis 26:5 (with context, Gen 26:1-6)¶
26:1 And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar. 26:2 And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of: 26:3 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father; 26:4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; 26:5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge [mishmereth], my commandments [mitsvot], my statutes [chuqqot], and my laws [torot]. 26:6 And Isaac dwelt in Gerar:
Hebrew terms in Gen 26:5: 4 law-vocabulary terms: - mishmarti (my charge, H4931) - mitsvotay (my commandments, H4687) - chuqqotay (my statutes, H2708) - v'torotay (and my laws/instructions, H8451 — PLURAL form)
Deuteronomy 4:1-2,5-8,13-14,40,44-45 (legislative vocabulary cluster)¶
4:1 Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes [H2706 choq] and unto the judgments [H4941 mishpat], which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers giveth you. 4:2 Ye shall not add unto the word [H1697 dabar] which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments [H4687 mitsvah] of the LORD your God which I command you. 4:5 Behold, I have taught you statutes [H2706] and judgments [H4941], even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. 4:6 Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes [H2706], and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. 4:7 For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the LORD our God is in all things that we call upon him for? 4:8 And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes [H2706] and judgments [H4941] so righteous as all this law [H8451 torah], which I set before you this day? 4:13 And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments [lit. ten words, H1697 dabar]; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone. 4:14 And the LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes [H2706] and judgments [H4941], that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it. 4:40 Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes [H2708 chuqqah], and his commandments [H4687 mitsvah], which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, for ever. 4:44 And this is the law [H8451 torah] which Moses set before the children of Israel: 4:45 These are the testimonies [H5713 edah], and the statutes [H2706 choq], and the judgments [H4941 mishpat], which Moses spake unto the children of Israel, after they came forth out of Egypt, 4:46 On this side Jordan, in the valley over against Bethpeor, in the land of Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt at Heshbon, whom Moses and the children of Israel smote, after they were come forth out of Egypt:
Note: Deut 4:44-45 uses torah as an umbrella term, then breaks it into edoth (testimonies), chuqqim (statutes), and mishpatim (judgments) — three sub-categories under the one torah.
Deuteronomy 5:1,22,28-29,31 (Decalogue rehearsal with law terms)¶
5:1 And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes [H2706] and judgments [H4941] which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them. 5:22 These words [H1697 dabar] the LORD spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: and he added no more. And he wrote them in two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me. 5:28 And the LORD heard the voice of your words, when ye spake unto me; and the LORD said unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee: they have well said all that they have spoken. 5:29 O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments [H4687 mitsvah] always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever! 5:31 But as for thee, stand thou here by me, and I will speak unto thee all the commandments [H4687 mitsvah], and the statutes [H2706 choq], and the judgments [H4941 mishpat], which thou shalt teach them, that they may do them in the land which I give them to possess it.
Deuteronomy 6:1-9,17,20-25 (Shema context with vocabulary cluster)¶
6:1 Now these are the commandments [H4687 mitsvah], the statutes [H2706 choq], and the judgments [H4941 mishpat], which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it: 6:2 That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes [H2708 chuqqah] and his commandments [H4687 mitsvah], which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged. 6:3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey. 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. 6:6 And these words [H1697 dabar], which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 6:7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 6:8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. 6:9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates. 6:17 Ye shall diligently keep the commandments [H4687 mitsvah] of the LORD your God, and his testimonies [H5713 edah], and his statutes [H2706 choq], which he hath commanded thee. 6:20 And when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What mean the testimonies [H5713 edah], and the statutes [H2706 choq], and the judgments [H4941 mishpat], which the LORD our God hath commanded you? 6:21 Then thou shalt say unto thy son, We were Pharaoh's bondmen in Egypt; and the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand: 6:24 And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes [H2706 choq], to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day. 6:25 And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments [H4687 mitsvah] before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us.
Psalm 19:7-14 (Six-term law vocabulary)¶
19:7 The law [H8451 torah] of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony [H5715 eduth] of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. 19:8 The statutes [H6490 piqqud] of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment [H4687 mitsvah] of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. 19:9 The fear [H3374 yirah] of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments [H4941 mishpat] of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. 19:10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. 19:11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. 19:12 Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. 19:13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. 19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
Note: Six terms in three couplets: torah/eduth (v.7), piqqudim/mitsvah (v.8), yirah/mishpatim (v.9). Each paired with a quality attribute (perfect/sure, right/pure, clean/true). All refer to one unified reality — "the law of the LORD."
Psalm 119 — Sample Stanzas (8 law terms across 176 verses)¶
Aleph (vv.1-8) — All 8 terms present:
119:1 Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law [H8451 torah] of the LORD. 119:2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies [H5713 edah], and that seek him with the whole heart. 119:3 They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways. 119:4 Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts [H6490 piqqud] diligently. 119:5 O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes [H2706 choq]! 119:6 Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments [H4687 mitsvah]. 119:7 I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments [H4941 mishpat]. 119:8 I will keep thy statutes [H2706 choq]: O forsake me not utterly.
Note on Aleph stanza: 7 of 8 terms appear (torah, edah, piqqud, choq, mitsvah, mishpat, choq again). The 8th term dabar ("word") appears elsewhere. "Statutes" (choq) appears twice (vv.5,8), suggesting these are not rigidly one-per-verse.
He (vv.33-40):
119:33 Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes [H2706]; and I shall keep it unto the end. 119:34 Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law [H8451]; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart. 119:35 Make me to go in the path of thy commandments [H4687]; for therein do I delight. 119:36 Incline my heart unto thy testimonies [H5715 eduth], and not to covetousness. 119:37 Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way. 119:38 Stablish thy word [H565 imrah — "saying/word"] unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear [H3374 yirah]. 119:39 Turn away my reproach which I fear: for thy judgments [H4941] are good. 119:40 Behold, I have longed after thy precepts [H6490]: quicken me in thy righteousness.
Mem (vv.97-104):
119:97 O how love I thy law [H8451]! it is my meditation all the day. 119:98 Thou through thy commandments [H4687] hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me. 119:99 I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies [H5715] are my meditation. 119:100 I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts [H6490]. 119:101 I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word [H1697 dabar]. 119:102 I have not departed from thy judgments [H4941]: for thou hast taught me. 119:103 How sweet are thy words [H565 imrah — note: different from H1697] unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! 119:104 Through thy precepts [H6490] I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.
Pe (vv.129-136):
119:129 Thy testimonies [H5715] are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them. 119:130 The entrance of thy words [H1697 dabar] giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple. 119:131 I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments [H4687]. 119:132 Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name. 119:133 Order my steps in thy word [H565 imrah]: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. 119:134 Deliver me from the oppression of man: so will I keep thy precepts [H6490]. 119:135 Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes [H2706]. 119:136 Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law [H8451].
Taw (vv.169-176):
119:169 Let my cry come near before thee, O LORD: give me understanding according to thy word [H1697 dabar]. 119:170 Let my supplication come before thee: deliver me according to thy word [H565 imrah]. 119:171 My lips shall utter praise, when thou hast taught me thy statutes [H2706]. 119:172 My tongue shall speak of thy word [H565 imrah]: for all thy commandments [H4687] are righteousness. 119:173 Let thine hand help me; for I have chosen thy precepts [H6490]. 119:174 I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD; and thy law [H8451] is my delight. 119:175 Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee; and let thy judgments [H4941] help me. 119:176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments [H4687].
Tabernacle/Testimony (eduth) Passages¶
Exodus 25:16,21-22¶
25:16 And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony [H5715 eduth] which I shall give thee. 25:21 And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony [H5715] that I shall give thee. 25:22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony [H5715], of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.
Exodus 31:18¶
And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony [H5715 eduth], tables of stone, written with the finger of God.
Exodus 32:15-16¶
32:15 And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony [H5715] were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written. 32:16 And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.
Exodus 34:29¶
And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony [H5715] in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him.
Exodus 40:20-21¶
40:20 And he took and put the testimony [H5715] into the ark, and set the staves on the ark, and put the mercy seat above upon the ark: 40:21 And he brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the vail of the covering, and covered the ark of the testimony [H5715]; as the LORD commanded Moses.
Chuqqah Used for Feasts/Ceremonial Observances¶
Exodus 12:14,17,24,43,49¶
12:14 And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance [H2708 chuqqah] for ever. 12:17 And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance [H2708] for ever. 12:24 And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance [H2708] to thee and to thy sons for ever. 12:43 And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance [H2708] of the passover: There shall no stranger eat thereof: 12:49 One law [H8451 torah] shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.
Leviticus 23:14,21,31,41 (feast statutes)¶
23:14 ...it shall be a statute [H2708 chuqqah] for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. 23:21 ...it shall be a statute [H2708] for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations. 23:31 Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute [H2708] for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. 23:41 And ye shall keep it a feast unto the LORD seven days in the year. It shall be a statute [H2708] for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month.
Covenant Vocabulary Clusters¶
Leviticus 26:3,14-15,43,46¶
26:3 If ye walk in my statutes [H2708 chuqqah], and keep my commandments [H4687 mitsvah], and do them; 26:14 But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments [H4687]; 26:15 And if ye shall despise my statutes [H2708], or if your soul abhor my judgments [H4941 mishpat], so that ye will not do all my commandments [H4687], but that ye break my covenant: 26:43 The land also shall be left of them... because, even because they despised my judgments [H4941], and because their soul abhorred my statutes [H2708]. 26:46 These are the statutes [H2706 choq] and judgments [H4941 mishpat] and laws [H8451 torah], which the LORD made between him and the children of Israel in mount Sinai by the hand of Moses.
1 Kings 2:3 (comprehensive cluster)¶
And keep the charge [H4931 mishmereth] of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes [H2708 chuqqah], and his commandments [H4687 mitsvah], and his judgments [H4941 mishpat], and his testimonies [H5715 eduth], as it is written in the law [H8451 torah] of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself:
Note: 1 Kings 2:3 contains 6 law terms in one verse — mishmereth, chuqqah, mitsvah, mishpat, eduth — all said to be "written in the torah of Moses." Torah is the umbrella; the others are sub-categories.
Deuteronomy 10:12-13; 11:1¶
10:12 And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, 10:13 To keep the commandments [H4687] of the LORD, and his statutes [H2708], which I command thee this day for thy good? 11:1 Therefore thou shalt love the LORD thy God, and keep his charge [H4931 mishmereth], and his statutes [H2708 chuqqah], and his judgments [H4941 mishpat], and his commandments [H4687 mitsvah], alway.
Joshua 22:5¶
But take diligent heed to do the commandment [H4687] and the law [H8451 torah], which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments [H4687], and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.
2 Kings 17:13,34,37 (multiple terms used together)¶
17:13 Yet the LORD testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, and by all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments [H4687] and my statutes [H2708], according to all the law [H8451] which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets. 17:34 Unto this day they do after the former manners: they fear not the LORD, neither do they after their statutes [H2708], or after their ordinances [H4941 mishpat], or after the law [H8451 torah] and commandment [H4687 mitsvah] which the LORD commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel; 17:37 And the statutes [H2706 choq], and the ordinances [H4941 mishpat], and the law [H8451 torah], and the commandment [H4687 mitsvah], which he wrote for you, ye shall observe to do for evermore; and ye shall not fear other gods.
Nehemiah 9:13-14,29,34 (post-exilic vocabulary review)¶
9:13 Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments [H4941 mishpat], and true laws [H8451 torah], good statutes [H2706 choq] and commandments [H4687 mitsvah]: 9:14 And madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them precepts [H4687 mitsvah], statutes [H2706 choq], and laws [H8451 torah], by the hand of Moses thy servant: 9:29 And testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law [H8451]: yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not unto thy commandments [H4687], but sinned against thy judgments [H4941], (which if a man do, he shall live in them;) and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear. 9:34 Neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept thy law [H8451], nor hearkened unto thy commandments [H4687] and thy testimonies [H5715 eduth], wherewith thou didst testify against them.
NT Greek Terms Mapping to Hebrew¶
Romans 3:31¶
Do we then make void the law [G3551 nomos] through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law [G3551 nomos].
Romans 7:7-12¶
7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law [G3551 nomos] sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law [G3551]: for I had not known lust, except the law [G3551] had said, Thou shalt not covet. 7:8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment [G1785 entole], wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law [G3551] sin was dead. 7:9 For I was alive without the law [G3551] once: but when the commandment [G1785] came, sin revived, and I died. 7:10 And the commandment [G1785], which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. 7:11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment [G1785], deceived me, and by it slew me. 7:12 Wherefore the law [G3551 nomos] is holy, and the commandment [G1785 entole] holy, and just, and good.
Note: Paul uses nomos and entole as distinct but related terms. He identifies a specific commandment (entole = "Thou shalt not covet" = Decalogue) within the broader nomos. This parallels the Hebrew torah/mitsvah relationship.
1 Corinthians 7:19¶
Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments [G1785 entole] of God.
Note: Entole (commandments of God) is explicitly distinguished from circumcision. Since circumcision was a mitsvah/choq, this suggests entole here refers to the moral commandments, not the ceremonial ones.
James 1:25; 2:8-12¶
1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law [G3551 nomos] of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. 2:8 If ye fulfil the royal law [G3551 nomos] according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: 2:9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law [G3551] as transgressors. 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law [G3551], and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. 2:11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law [G3551]. 2:12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law [G3551 nomos] of liberty.
Note: James uses nomos and explicitly identifies it with the Decalogue (Do not commit adultery, Do not kill — commandments 7 and 6). He calls it the "royal law" and "law of liberty."
Revelation 12:17; 14:12¶
12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments [G1785 entole] of God, and have the testimony [G3141 martyria] of Jesus Christ. 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments [G1785 entole] of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Note: Entole (commandments of God) used in an end-time context. The Greek entole maps primarily to Hebrew mitsvah in the LXX.
Cross-Testament Parallels¶
(See raw-data/parallels.md for full output)
Additional Context Passages¶
(See raw-data/concept-context.md for additional passages discovered through concept analysis)