International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
GOADgod (dorebhan, malmadh; kentron): The goad used by the Syrian farmer is usually a straight branch of oak or other strong wood from which the bark has been stripped, and which has at one end a pointed spike and at the other a flat chisel-shaped iron. The pointed end is to prod the oxen while plowing. The flattened iron at the other end is to scrape off the earth which clogs the plowshare. The ancient goad was probably similar to this instrument. It could do villainous work in the hands of an experienced fighter (Judges 3:31). If 1 Samuel 13:21 is correctly translated, the goads were kept sharpened by files.
Figurative: "The words of the wise are as goads" (Ecclesiastes 12:11). The only reference to goads in the New Testament is the familiar passage, "It is hard for thee to kick against the goad" (Acts 26:14). It was as useless for Saul to keep on in the wrong way as for a fractious ox to attempt to leave the furrow. He would surely be brought back with a prick of the goad.
James A. Patch
Easton's Bible Dictionary
(Hebrews malmad, only in
Judges 3: 31), an instrument used by ploughmen for guiding their oxen. Shamgar slew six hundred Philistines with an ox-goad. "The goad is a formidable weapon. It is sometimes ten feet long, and has a sharp point. We could now see that the feat of Shamgar was not so very wonderful as some have been accustomed to think."
In 1 Samuel 13:21, a different Hebrew word is used, dorban, meaning something pointed. The expression (Acts 9:5, omitted in the R.V.), "It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks", i.e., against the goad, was proverbial for unavailing resistance to superior power.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) A pointed instrument used to urge on a beast; hence, any necessity that urges or stimulates.
2. (v. t.) To prick; to drive with a goad; hence, to urge forward, or to rouse by anything pungent, severe, irritating, or inflaming; to stimulate.
Strong's Hebrew
1861. dorbown -- a goad... a
goad. Transliteration: dorbown Phonetic Spelling: (dor-bone') Short Definition:
goad.
goad (also dor-bawn'); of uncertain derivation; a
goad --
goad.
... /hebrew/1861.htm - 5k 1861b. darebonah -- a goad
... darebonah. 1862 >>. a goad. Transliteration: darebonah Short Definition: goads.
Word Origin from the same as dorban Definition a goad NASB Word Usage goads (1). ...
/hebrew/1861b.htm - 5k
1861a. dorban -- a goad
... dorban. 1861b >>. a goad. Transliteration: dorban Short Definition: hoes. Word Origin
from an unused word Definition a goad NASB Word Usage hoes (1). ...
/hebrew/1861a.htm - 5k
4451. malmad -- an oxgoad
... Word Origin from lamad Definition an oxgoad NASB Word Usage oxgoad (1). goad. From
lamad; a goad for oxen -- goad. see HEBREW lamad. << 4450, 4451. malmad. 4452 ...
/hebrew/4451.htm - 6k
3925. lamad -- to exercise in, learn
... to teach, to goad,. A primitive root; properly, to goad, ie (by implication)
to teach (the rod being an Oriental incentive):(un-) accustomed ...
/hebrew/3925.htm - 6k
7850. shotet -- a scourge
... scourge. Active participle of an otherwise unused root meaning (properly, to pierce;
but only as a denominative from showt) to flog; a goad -- scourge. ...
/hebrew/7850.htm - 6k