Original Word: מוּעֶדֶת
Part of Speech: verb
Transliteration: muw`edeth
Pronunciation: moo-eh-deth
Phonetic Spelling: (moo-ay'-deth)
KJV: out of joint
Word Origin: [feminine passive participle of H4571 (מָעַד - slip)]

1. (properly) made to slip, i.e. dislocated

out of joint

Feminine passive participle of ma'ad; properly, made to slip, i.e. Dislocated -- out of joint.

see HEBREW ma'ad

Word Origin
the same as maad, q.v.

Definition and Imagery

מוּעֶדֶת (mûʿedeth) paints the picture of a limb that suddenly gives way—a foot that cannot bear weight, slips aside, or is dislocated. In Proverbs 25:19 the word is paired with a “broken tooth” to convey two vivid and painful metaphors for unreliability.

Biblical Usage

Proverbs 25:19 sets the lone canonical occurrence:

“Like a broken tooth or a foot out of joint is confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble.” (Berean Standard Bible)

The proverb contrasts expected support with painful failure. A tooth should chew; a foot should carry; when either fails, the result is shock, pain, and vulnerability. Likewise, reliance on a treacherous person collapses at the critical moment.

Historical and Cultural Background

Ancient Near Eastern life demanded physical soundness. Farming, warfare, and pilgrimage placed constant stress on feet. A dislocated foot meant loss of mobility, loss of livelihood, and exposure to danger. Solomon’s simile would therefore resonate with every listener: an injured foot could stall a journey, halt a harvest, or doom a soldier in battle.

Theological and Ministry Significance

1. Reliability Reflects God’s Character

Scripture repeatedly celebrates the LORD as a sure foundation (Psalm 18:2; Isaiah 26:4). By negative contrast, mûʿedeth warns that human faithlessness defies God’s trustworthy nature. Ministries, friendships, and families grounded in duplicity will inevitably “give way.”

2. Covenant Expectations

Israel’s social fabric was covenantal. Treaties, marriage, and commerce all assumed fidelity. Proverbs 25:19 functions as wisdom literature’s reminder that breach of trust is not merely social misconduct but a moral fracture that leaves others spiritually limp.

3. The Pain of Betrayal

The verse anticipates themes developed later in Scripture—Judas’s betrayal (Luke 22:48) and Demas’s desertion (2 Timothy 4:10). In ministry, a “foot out of joint” can derail gospel advance, sap morale, and open doors for the enemy. Paul’s call to faithfulness (1 Corinthians 4:2) answers Solomon’s cautionary image.

Practical Application

• Vet leadership: Elders and deacons must be “above reproach” (1 Timothy 3:2) lest the congregation discover too late that its footing is unstable.
• Cultivate dependable character: “Let your ‘Yes’ be yes” (Matthew 5:37). Consistent truth-telling prevents others from stumbling.
• Extend grace yet exercise discernment: Even faithful believers can falter (Galatians 6:1), but habitual betrayal marks someone as unsafe for critical trust.
• Lean on the unchanging Christ: Human feet may fail, but Jesus remains “the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

Related Biblical Themes

– Slipping feet: Psalm 73:2; Deuteronomy 32:35

– Unfaithful confidants: Psalm 55:12-14; Micah 7:5-6

– Reliability commended: Proverbs 20:6; Colossians 4:9

– God as steady rock: 2 Samuel 22:2-3; Psalm 40:2

The single appearance of מוּעֶדֶת is therefore a concise yet penetrating study in the cost of disloyalty and the virtue of steadfastness—an exhortation to be the kind of support that never slips, because it rests on the faithfulness of God Himself.

מוּעָ֑דֶת מועדת mū‘āḏeṯ mū·‘ā·ḏeṯ muAdetInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts