Faltering or falling in the course of running or walking. The term is also used metaphorically to refer to failure, hesitation or difficulty.
Physical stumbling
Leviticus 19:14; Leviticus 26:37; Isaiah 21:4; Isaiah 28:7 through drunkenness; Nahum 2:5, Nahum 3:3
God protects his people from stumbling
Psalm 56:13 See also 1 Samuel 2:4; Job 4:4; Psalm 37:24, Psalm 116:8
For You have delivered my soul from death, and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.
The enemies of God's people will stumble
Jeremiah 20:11 See also Psalm 9:3, Psalm 27:2
But the LORD is with me like a fearsome warrior. Therefore, my persecutors will stumble and will not prevail. Since they have not succeeded, they will be utterly put to shame, with an everlasting disgrace that will never be forgotten.
God's people will stumble if they sin
Avoiding stumbling by keeping God's law
Psalm 119:165 See also Proverbs 3:23, Proverbs 3:26, Proverbs 4:11–12; Isaiah 26:7–8, Isaiah 40:30–31
Abundant peace belongs to those who love Your law; nothing can make them stumble.
The wicked stumble because they reject God's way
Causes of stumbling
Dishonesty
Arrogance
False teaching by religious leaders
Idolatry
Trust in riches
Trust in secular political alliances
Stumbling as a consequence of sin and divine judgment
Making one's own stumbling-block
Stumbling over obstacles sent by God
Jeremiah 6:21, Jeremiah 13:16; Ezekiel 3:20
Some stumbling is educative or disciplinary
Jesus Christ as the light that prevents believers from stumbling
Jesus Christ as a stumbling-block for unbelievers
1 Corinthians 1:23 See also 1 Peter 2:8
but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,
Stumbling and sin
All sin and stumble
None should feel superior to others
Proverbs 24:17; 1 Corinthians 10:12
None should cause others to stumble
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.