Lexical Summary
yaqosh: To ensnare, to trap, to lay a snare
Original Word:יָקשׁ
Part of Speech:Verb
Transliteration:yaqosh
Pronunciation:yah-KOHSH
Phonetic Spelling:(yaw-koshe')
KJV: fowler (lay a) snare
NASB:snared, ensnared, set, set a snare, trapper
Word Origin:[a primitive root]
1. to ensnare (literally or figuratively)
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
fowler lay a snare
A primitive root; to ensnare (literally or figuratively) -- fowler (lay a) snare.
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origina prim. root
Definitionto lay a bait or lure
NASB Translationensnared (1), set (1), set a snare (1), snared (4), trapper (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
[] (see ), then Generally lay snares (see also , ) —
PerfectJeremiah 50:24;Psalm 141:9;Participle pluralPsalm 124:7; —lay snares, figurative of devices of wickedPsalm 141:9 (with accusative of congnate meaning with verb); of s plan to destroy BabylonJeremiah 50:24 ;Participle as substantivebait-layers, fowlersPsalm 124:7 (comparePsalm 141:9) simile
PerfectProverbs 6:2; consecutiveIsaiah 8:15;Isaiah 28:13;Imperfect2masculine singularDeuteronomy 7:25;be caught by a bait, ensnared, in business entanglementsProverbs 6:2; in disastrous consequences of idolatryDeuteronomy 7:25 ("" ); of those ensnared by s plans (followed by )Isaiah 8:15;Isaiah 28:13.
Participle (for , unless this should be read: Ges§ 52. R. 6; Sta§ 220):entrapped, in circumstances of lifeEcclesiastes 9:12.
Topical Lexicon
Imagery of the SnareThe word pictures a concealed device designed to seize an unsuspecting victim. Scripture employs this image to describe idolatry (Deuteronomy 7:25), the schemes of the wicked (Psalm 141:9), self-inflicted entrapment through speech (Proverbs 6:2), and divine judgment on the unrepentant (Isaiah 28:13). In each case the idea is sudden, inescapable capture—an apt metaphor for sin’s deceptiveness and the adversary’s tactics.
Occurrences and Narrative Flow
•Deuteronomy 7:25 – Israel is warned that pagan idols “will be a snare to you” if not destroyed, underscoring the incompatibility of covenant loyalty and syncretism.
•Psalm 124:7 – “We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowler; the snare is broken, and we have escaped.” The psalmist credits deliverance solely to the LORD’s intervention, turning the image from peril to praise.
•Psalm 141:9 – David prays, “Keep me from the snares they have set for me,” exposing the malice of adversaries and the believer’s dependence on divine guardianship.
•Proverbs 6:2 – The father warns, “you have been trapped by the words of your lips,” expanding the image to rash vows and the moral responsibility of speech.
•Ecclesiastes 9:12 – Humanity is “caught in an evil time” like fish in a net, illustrating life’s unpredictability and the certainty of mortality apart from God’s wisdom.
•Isaiah 8:15; 28:13 – In prophetic judgment passages, the snare depicts the fate of those who stumble over God’s word; rebellion against revelation ensures captivity.
•Jeremiah 50:24 – Babylon herself falls into the LORD’s snare, proving that the trap which ensnares nations is ultimately set by divine justice.
Historical Backdrop
Ancient Near Eastern hunting relied on hidden nets, pits, and spring traps. Their stealth and inevitability made them ideal rhetorical devices for covenant writers addressing an agrarian audience familiar with such methods. The imagery also evokes military ambush tactics employed in border skirmishes, deepening the sense of danger.
Theological Significance
1. Moral Law: Idolatry, deceit, and hasty speech function like traps; they promise gain yet enslave the soul.
2. Divine Sovereignty: God both warns against snares and sets them for the proud, revealing His righteous control of outcomes (Jeremiah 50:24).
3. Covenant Protection: Those who seek refuge in the LORD are rescued—“Our help is in the name of the LORD” (Psalm 124:8).
4. Progressive Revelation: The motif anticipates the New Testament warning that “people are held captive by the devil to do his will” (echoing2 Timothy 2:26) and the gospel promise of liberation.
Wisdom and Prophetic Literature
In Proverbs and Ecclesiastes the snare motif functions pedagogically, urging prudence and mindful speech. In Isaiah and Jeremiah it becomes an instrument of eschatological judgment, proving that rejection of God’s word transforms grace into stumbling.
New Testament Resonance
Jesus describes hypocrisy as a hidden trap (Luke 21:34–35), Paul exposes legalism as a “snare” (1 Timothy 6:9), and the writer to the Hebrews urges believers to “throw off the sin that so easily entangles” (Hebrews 12:1). These passages echo the Old Testament root image, culminating in Christ who liberates captives (Luke 4:18).
Ministry Applications
• Discipleship: Teach believers to identify cultural idols before they allure and bind.
• Pastoral Care: Counsel those trapped by sinful patterns with the assurance that the “snare is broken” through Christ’s atonement.
• Preaching: Use the metaphor to illustrate both the subtlety of temptation and the certainty of divine rescue.
• Intercession: Pray as David did, asking the LORD to guard against unseen pitfalls and to break existing chains.
Homiletical Outline
1. The Concealed Trap: How Sin Lures (Deuteronomy 7:25;Proverbs 6:2)
2. The Captive’s Cry: Dependence on God’s Deliverance (Psalm 141:9)
3. The Broken Snare: Celebrating Redemption (Psalm 124:7)
4. The Hunter Hunted: God’s Justice on the Proud (Jeremiah 50:24)
5. Walking Free: New Covenant Liberty and Vigilance (Galatians 5:1;Hebrews 12:1)
Through the recurring image of the snare, Scripture unites the themes of human vulnerability, divine judgment, and gracious deliverance, calling every generation to heed the warning, seek refuge in the LORD, and walk in the freedom He provides.
Forms and Transliterations
וְנוֹקְשׁ֖וּ ונוקשו י֫וֹקְשִׁ֥ים יָ֣קְשׁוּ יָקֹ֨שְׁתִּי יֽוּקָשִׁים֙ יוקשים יקשו יקשתי נוֹקַ֥שְׁתָּ נוקשת תִּוָּקֵ֣שׁ תוקש nō·w·qaš·tā noKashta nōwqaštā tivvaKesh tiw·wā·qêš tiwwāqêš venokShu wə·nō·wq·šū wənōwqšū yā·qə·šū yā·qō·šə·tî Yakeshu yaKosheti yāqəšū yāqōšətî yō·wq·šîm yokShim yōwqšîm yū·qā·šîm yukaShim yūqāšîm
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