מַחְסוֹם
𐤌𐤇𐤎𐤅𐤌
machçôwm
H4269 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A device placed over the mouth of an animal, primarily to prevent eating or biting; in some contexts, refers more broadly to any covering or mechanism for closing off the mouth, including a bridle component.
Semantic Range
muzzle for animals, device covering the mouth, rarely bridle or anything that closes or restricts the mouth
Root / Etymology
The word מַחְסוֹם (machsom) derives from the root ח-ס-ם (חסם), which means 'to muzzle,' 'to shut,' or 'to restrain (by shutting the mouth).' The noun form designates an object that causes this effect, specifically a 'muzzle.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
מַחְסוֹם appears infrequently in the Hebrew Bible, notably in Deuteronomy 25:4 and related passages, where it refers to the muzzling of an ox during threshing. In these legal contexts, it is associated with agricultural practice and the humane treatment of work animals. The term does not have the broader metaphorical range that some related terms (such as those for 'bridle') might carry in later Hebrew, where they can represent restraint or control in speech. In the post-biblical period, the word may acquire broader applications or synonymous uses with other implements for closing or restricting the mouth, but in the biblical corpus, its meaning is concrete and focused on animal husbandry. Standard English translations typically render מַחְסוֹם as 'muzzle,' which accurately reflects the biblical meaning. The term is distinct from other words for 'bridle' or 'bit' (e.g., רסן, מתג), which are associated with restraining or directing animals more broadly, often by controlling their movement rather than solely their feeding. There is little evidence of semantic shift across biblical periods, and it remains a technical term for a specific agricultural implement.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from חָסַם; a muzzle; bridle.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
חסם (ḥ-s-m) — to muzzle, to shut, to restrain by closing the mouth
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2629 | חָסַם | you will muzzle |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4269-01 |
מַחְס֑וֹם | machesom | HNcmsa |
a muzzle | muzzle | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4269-01 |
Psalms 39:2 | מַחְס֑וֹם | machesom | HNcmsa |
a muzzle | muzzle |