BYWAY, BYWAYS, BYPATH (אֳרָחֹ֖ות עֲקַלְקַלֹּֽות, crooked ways or נְתִיבָה, H5986, path). A byway or bypath is a secluded, secondary or obscure road. It refers to a way which is not the most desirous path toward a particular goal.

In Judges 5:6 (KJV, RSV) “byword” is the tr. used to describe a twisted or roundabout way. Jeremiah refers to “bypath” (Jer 18:15) in describing the fig. type of path which an erring people follow in contrast to an open way or highway.