4156. moetsah
Lexical Summary
moetsah: Going forth, outlet, exit, source

Original Word: מוֹעֵצָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: mow`etsah
Pronunciation: mo-ets-AH
Phonetic Spelling: (mo-ay-tsaw')
KJV: counsel, device
NASB: devices, counsels
Word Origin: [from H3289 (יָעַץ - counselors)]

1. a purpose

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
counsel, device

From ya'ats; a purpose -- counsel, device.

see HEBREW ya'ats

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from yaats
Definition
counsel, plan, principle, device
NASB Translation
counsels (3), devices (4).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
[מוֺעֵצָה] noun feminine counsel, plan, principle, device; — plural absolute מֹעֵצוֺת Proverbs 22:20 ("" דַּעַת) in good sense; in bad sense מוֺעֵצוֺת Jeremiah 7:24 ("" שְׁרִרוּת לִבָּם הָרָע); מֹעֲצוֺתֵיהֶם Hosea 11:6; Psalm 5:11; מוֺעֲצוֺתֵיהֶם Psalm 81:13; מֹעֲצֹתֵיהֶם Proverbs 1:31; מֹעֲצוֺתָם Micah 6:16.

יַעֲקֹב, יַעֲקֹ֫בָה see below עקב.

יַעֲקָן see עֲקָן.

I. יער (√ of following; Arabic is be rugged, of mountain, etc., be difficult; rough or difficult place, mountain).

Topical Lexicon
Semantic Scope

מוֹעֵצָה portrays the collective thought, strategy, or scheme that guides conduct. In its seven canonical appearances the term always concerns human plans that stand in contrast to the LORD’s righteous purpose. Whether translated “devices,” “plans,” or “counsels,” the idea is that of self-generated policy pursued apart from submission to God.

Occurrence Overview

1. Psalm 5:10; Psalm 81:12
2. Proverbs 1:31; Proverbs 22:20
3. Jeremiah 7:24
4. Hosea 11:6
5. Micah 6:16

These texts span poetry, wisdom literature, and prophetic oracles, uniting the theme of autonomy that culminates in judgment.

Sinful Counsel Versus Divine Counsel

Psalm 5:10 sets the tone: “Declare them guilty, O God; let them fall by their own devices”. David prays that the wicked be overwhelmed by the very counsel they devised against him, underscoring the moral boomerang built into God’s justice (compare Psalm 7:15–16).
Psalm 81:12 records the divine response to persistent rebellion: “So I gave them up to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.” Here the LORD’s judgment is passive; He removes restraining grace and permits people to reap the outcome of their schemes (Romans 1:24–28 echoes the same principle).
Jeremiah 7:24 shows that such abandonment marks national apostasy: “They followed the stubbornness of their own hearts, and they went backward and not forward.” The prophet links disobedience to retrogression—a rejection of revelation leads inexorably to societal decay.

Consequences Emphasized in Wisdom Literature

Proverbs crystallizes the lesson for the individual:
• “So they will eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices” (Proverbs 1:31). Wisdom promises poetic justice; wayward counsel becomes the meal one must swallow (Galatians 6:7).
Proverbs 22:20 affirms that the sage’s writings offer “counsel and knowledge.” Godly instruction is set over against the self-made counsels already condemned, inviting readers to exchange worldly schemes for heaven-bred discernment.

Historical Background in Prophetic Texts

Hosea 11:6 speaks to the Northern Kingdom on the eve of Assyrian exile: “A sword will flash in their cities… and devour them in their own plans.” Military collapse arrives through the very political plots meant to secure safety.
Micah 6:16 indicts Judah for adopting Omri and Ahab’s policies: “You have followed their schemes. Therefore I will make you a horror.” The monarchy’s embrace of idolatrous statecraft ensures covenant curses (Leviticus 26:32–33).

Theological Motifs

1. Retributive symmetry—people harvest exactly what their counsel sows.
2. Divine patience—God’s surrender of sinners to their counsel is both judgment and a final summons to repent.
3. The antithesis between human autonomy and revealed wisdom—Scripture calls believers to seek the LORD’s counsel, not merely to avoid judgment but to experience blessing (Isaiah 55:6–9; James 1:5).

Christological Trajectory

The Gospels present Jesus Christ as the incarnate “Wonderful Counselor” (Isaiah 9:6) whose earthly ministry dismantles the wisdom of the world (1 Corinthians 1:20–25). At Calvary the rulers’ מוֹעֵצָה against Him (Acts 4:25–28, citing Psalm 2) becomes the divine plan of redemption, turning the motif of self-defeating counsel into the very instrument of salvation.

Pastoral and Ministry Applications

• Preaching: Expose the futility of self-directed living; contrast it with the sufficiency of God’s revealed will.
• Counseling: Help believers identify ungodly inner dialogues masquerading as “good ideas” and replace them with Scriptural principles.
• Leadership: Church boards and ministry teams must weigh every strategic decision against the counsel of God’s Word lest corporate plans devolve into mere human devising (Psalm 33:10–11).

Summary

מוֹעֵצָה warns that any strategy formulated apart from God reliably collapses upon its architects. The antidote is humble submission to the LORD’s counsel, ultimately revealed and fulfilled in Jesus Christ, in whom “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3).

Forms and Transliterations
בְּֽמוֹעֲצוֹתֵיהֶֽם׃ בְּמ֖וֹעֵצֹ֣ת בְּמֹ֣עֵצ֔וֹת בְּמֹֽעֲצוֹתָ֑ם במועצותיהם׃ במועצת במעצות במעצותם וּֽמִמֹּעֲצֹ֖תֵיהֶ֣ם וממעצתיהם מִֽמֹּעֲצ֖וֹתֵיהֶֽם׃ מִֽמֹּעֲצ֪וֹתֵ֫יהֶ֥ם ממעצותיהם ממעצותיהם׃ bə·mō·‘ă·ṣō·w·ṯām bə·mō·‘ê·ṣō·wṯ bə·mō·w·‘ă·ṣō·w·ṯê·hem bə·mō·w·‘ê·ṣōṯ bəmō‘ăṣōwṯām bəmō‘êṣōwṯ bemoatzoTam BemoatzoteiHem beMoeTzot bəmōw‘ăṣōwṯêhem bəmōw‘êṣōṯ mim·mō·‘ă·ṣō·w·ṯê·hem mimmō‘ăṣōwṯêhem mimoaTzoTeiHem ū·mim·mō·‘ă·ṣō·ṯê·hem ūmimmō‘ăṣōṯêhem umimoaTzoteiHem
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Englishman's Concordance
Psalm 5:10
HEB: אֱ‍ֽלֹהִ֗ים יִפְּלוּ֮ מִֽמֹּעֲצ֪וֹתֵ֫יהֶ֥ם בְּרֹ֣ב פִּ֭שְׁעֵיהֶם
NAS: O God; By their own devices let them fall!
KJV: let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out
INT: God fall devices the multitude of their transgressions

Psalm 81:12
HEB: לִבָּ֑ם יֵ֝לְכ֗וּ בְּֽמוֹעֲצוֹתֵיהֶֽם׃
NAS: To walk in their own devices.
KJV: [and] they walked in their own counsels.
INT: of their heart to walk devices

Proverbs 1:31
HEB: מִפְּרִ֣י דַרְכָּ֑ם וּֽמִמֹּעֲצֹ֖תֵיהֶ֣ם יִשְׂבָּֽעוּ׃
NAS: And be satiated with their own devices.
KJV: and be filled with their own devices.
INT: of the fruit way devices and be satiated

Proverbs 22:20
HEB: (שָׁלִישִׁ֑ים ק) בְּמ֖וֹעֵצֹ֣ת וָדָֽעַת׃
NAS: to you excellent things Of counsels and knowledge,
KJV: excellent things in counsels and knowledge,
INT: written before that time of counsels and knowledge

Jeremiah 7:24
HEB: אָזְנָ֔ם וַיֵּֽלְכוּ֙ בְּמֹ֣עֵצ֔וֹת בִּשְׁרִר֖וּת לִבָּ֣ם
NAS: but walked in [their own] counsels [and] in the stubbornness
KJV: but walked in the counsels [and] in the imagination
INT: their ear walked in counsels the stubbornness heart

Hosea 11:6
HEB: בַדָּ֖יו וְאָכָ֑לָה מִֽמֹּעֲצ֖וֹתֵיהֶֽם׃
NAS: [them] because of their counsels.
KJV: and devour [them], because of their own counsels.
INT: bars and devour of their counsels

Micah 6:16
HEB: אַחְאָ֔ב וַתֵּלְכ֖וּ בְּמֹֽעֲצוֹתָ֑ם לְמַעַן֩ תִּתִּ֨י
NAS: are observed; And in their devices you walk.
KJV: and ye walk in their counsels; that I should make
INT: of Ahab walk their devices Therefore will give

7 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 4156
7 Occurrences


bə·mō·‘ă·ṣō·w·ṯām — 1 Occ.
bə·mō·w·‘ă·ṣō·w·ṯê·hem — 1 Occ.
bə·mō·w·‘ê·ṣōṯ — 2 Occ.
mim·mō·‘ă·ṣō·w·ṯê·hem — 2 Occ.
ū·mim·mō·‘ă·ṣō·ṯê·hem — 1 Occ.

4155
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