מָס
𐤌𐤎
mâç
H4523 adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
State of emotional distress or intense discouragement, especially in contexts of affliction, suffering, or overwhelming fear; conveys being emotionally despondent, faint-hearted, or disheartened, often as a response to calamity or threat. Sometimes used of physical languishing or being overwhelmed, but most often with a focus on internal, affective experience.
Semantic Range
fainting, emotional distress, being disheartened, languishing, being overwhelmed by fear or sorrow, inner dissolution under suffering
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root מָסַס (masas), which primarily means 'to melt,' 'to dissolve,' or 'to become weak/feeble.' The noun form מָס describes the subjective experience of feeling emotionally or physically dissolved, faint, or overwhelmed by sorrow or fear. The shift from the concrete sense of physical dissolution to the figurative sense of emotional or psychological collapse is well-attested.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, מָס occurs chiefly in poetic and wisdom literature, describing an internal reaction to suffering, disaster, or divine judgment (see e.g. Job 6:14, Psalm 22:15). The term often describes those who are overwhelmed by affliction or distress, in contrast to those who remain steadfast. In many English translations, מָס is rendered with terms such as 'disconsolate,' 'faint,' or 'sorrowful,' but the underlying metaphor is that of one's inner self melting or dissolving under pressure. This sense retains the core imagery of weakness or lack of resolve, but, in most cases, is not limited to physical faintness. The term does not specifically denote affliction itself, but the internalized, emotional response to such circumstances. Later translators and traditions sometimes narrow the term to strictly physical fainting or 'being afflicted,' but the Hebrew usage is broader, often indicating emotional and spiritual collapse. Its usage is distinct from כָּאָה (ka’ah, 'be disheartened') or רָפָה (raphah, 'be feeble'), though all may overlap in certain contexts.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from מָסַס; fainting, i.e. (figuratively) disconsolate; is afflicted.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
מסס (m-s-s) — melt, dissolve, become faint
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4522 | מַס | the corvée levy |
| H4530 | מִסָּה | overflow of |
| H4549 | מָסַס | they caused to melt |
| H8557 | תֶּמֶס | melting dissolution |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4523-01 |
לַ/מָּ֣ס | lamas | HRd/Aamsa |
to the despairing man | for corvée-levy | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4523-01 |
Job 6:14 | לַ/מָּ֣ס | lamas | HRd/Aamsa |
to the despairing man | for corvée-levy |