Lexicon :: Strong's H4284 - maḥăšāḇâ

The LORD saw that the wickedness (depravity) of man was great on the earth, and that every imagination or intent of the thoughts of his heart were only evil continually.

“As for you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father [have personal knowledge of Him, be acquainted with, and understand Him; appreciate, heed, and cherish Him] and serve Him with a blameless heart and a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts and minds, and understands every intent and inclination of the thoughts. If you seek Him [inquiring for and of Him and requiring Him as your first and vital necessity] He will let you find Him; but [fn]if you abandon (turn away from) Him, He will reject you forever.

Then Esther spoke again to the king and fell down at his feet and wept and implored him to avert the evil plot of Haman the Agagite and his plan which he had devised against the Jews [because the decree to annihilate the Jews was still in effect].

“He frustrates the devices and schemes of the crafty,

So that their hands cannot attain success or achieve anything of [lasting] worth.

“Behold, I know your thoughts,

And the plots by which you would wrong me.

The LORD nullifies the counsel of the nations;

He makes the thoughts and plans of the people ineffective.

Many, O LORD my God, are the wonderful works which You have done,

And Your thoughts toward us;

There is none to compare with You.

If I would declare and speak of your wonders,

They would be too many to count.

All day long they twist my words and say hurtful things;

All their thoughts are against me for evil.

How great are Your works, O LORD!

Your thoughts are very deep [beyond man’s understanding].

The LORD knows the thoughts of man,

That they are a mere breath (vain, empty, futile).

A heart that creates wicked plans,

Feet that run swiftly to evil,

The thoughts and purposes of the [consistently] righteous are just (honest, reliable),

But the counsels and schemes of the wicked are deceitful.

Without consultation and wise advice, plans are frustrated,

But with many counselors they are established and succeed.

Evil plans and thoughts of the wicked are exceedingly vile and offensive to the LORD,

But pure words are pleasant words to Him.

[fn]Commit your works to the LORD [submit and trust them to Him],

And your plans will succeed [if you respond to His will and guidance].

Many plans are in a man’s mind,

But it is the LORD’S purpose for him that will stand (be carried out).

Plans are established by counsel;

So make war [only] with wise guidance.

The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance and advantage,

But everyone who acts in haste comes surely to poverty.

Let the wicked leave (behind) his way

And the unrighteous man his thoughts;

And let him return to the LORD,

And He will have compassion (mercy) on him,

And to our God,

For He will abundantly pardon.

Their feet run to evil,

And they rush to shed innocent blood.

Their thoughts are thoughts of wickedness [of sin, of injustice, of wrongdoing];

Devastation and destruction are in their highways.

“I have spread out My hands all the day long to a rebellious and stubborn people,

Who walk in the way that is not good, [following] after their own thoughts and intentions,

“For I know their works and their thoughts. The time is coming to gather all nations and languages, and they will come and see My glory.

O Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness,

That you may be saved.

How long will your wicked and immoral thoughts

Lodge within you?

“Hear, O earth: behold, I am bringing disaster on this people,

The fruit of their schemes,

Because they have not listened and paid attention to My words,

And as for My law, they have rejected it also.

But I was like a gentle and tame lamb brought to the slaughter;

And I did not know that they had devised plots and schemes against me, saying,

“Let us destroy the tree with its fruit;

Let us cut him off from the land of the living,

That his name be remembered no longer.”

Then [my enemies] said, “Come and let us work out schemes against Jeremiah. Surely the law is not going to be lost to the priest [as Jeremiah predicts], nor the counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come and let us strike him with our tongue [by making charges against him before the king], and let us ignore anything he says.”

Therefore hear the plan of the LORD which He has devised against Edom, and [hear] what He has purposed against the inhabitants of Teman: surely they will be dragged away, even the little ones of the flock; surely He will make their dwelling place desolate because of them.

“Flee, run far away! Dwell in the depths [of the desert],

O inhabitants of Hazor,” says the LORD,

“For Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has planned a course of action against you

And devised a scheme against you.

The land trembles and writhes [in pain and sorrow],

For the purposes of the LORD against Babylon stand,

To make the land of Babylon

A desolation without inhabitants.

You have seen all their vengeance,

All their schemes against me.

‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “It will come about on that day that thoughts will come into your mind, and you will devise an evil plan,