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מַעֲשֵׂר

𐤌𐤏𐤔𐤓

maʻăsêr

H4643 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

An amount constituting one-tenth or a tithe, typically referring to the mandatory portion of agricultural produce or livestock set aside for specific religious or communal purposes. In the Hebrew Bible, מַעֲשֵׂר generally denotes the institution and act of tithing, as well as the portion itself that is separated as a tithe. Its primary application is in reference to agricultural yields, livestock, or other produce from the land as stipulated in Torah legislation. Depending on the context, it may indicate the act of setting aside a tithe, the designated portion, or the collective practice of tithing within the Israelite community.

Semantic Range

tenth part, tithe, collection of tithes, act of tithing, produce or livestock set aside as a tithe, institutional practice of tithing; sometimes, more generally, a share or portion constituting one-tenth

Root / Etymology

From the root ע-ש-ר (עָשָׂר), meaning 'ten' or 'tenth.' מַעֲשֵׂר is a noun form meaning 'tenth part' or 'that which constitutes a tenth,' ultimately connected to the cardinal number. The word does not carry an inherent religious sense from its root but rather acquires its religious and institutional meaning from context and biblical legislation. Related directly to the ordinal and cardinal numerals for 'ten.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

Throughout the Hebrew Bible, מַעֲשֵׂר is used principally in priestly, Deuteronomic, and prophetic materials to refer to tithes owed as part of covenantal obligations—most often agricultural produce (grain, new wine, oil) or livestock. The term is central to the legal vocabulary of Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, where distinctions are made between the 'first tithe' (for Levites) and the 'second tithe' (consumed in Jerusalem or given to the poor, depending on the year), illustrating shifting practices and religious reforms. In post-exilic texts (Chronicles, Nehemiah, Malachi), the tithe becomes a key marker of religious fidelity and community discipline. English translations usually render the term as 'tithe' or 'tenth,' which aligns with its numerical sense, but may not fully convey the complexity or variability of institutional practice. The feminine plural form מַעַשְׂרָה appears rarely but operates as a morphological variant. Some ancient translations conflate or extend the meaning to later religious contexts associated with charity or taxation, but the biblical usage is limited to the specific practices of ancient Israelite society. Distinctions with other offerings (e.g., תְּרוּמָה trumah, 'heave offering') are contextually important: מַעֲשֵׂר is always a tenth, whereas other terms designate variable amounts or different forms of offering.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or מַעֲשַׂר; and (in plural) feminine מַעַשְׂרָה; from עָשָׂר; a tenth; especially a tithe; tenth (part), tithe(-ing).

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

עשר (Asheterah) — to count as ten, to be ten, to form a group of ten

Root עשר to count as ten, to be ten, to form a group of ten
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H6218 עָשׂוֹר group of ten
H6223 עָשִׁיר wealthy man
H6224 עֲשִׂירִי tenth
H6235 עֶשֶׂר ten
H6236 עֲשַׂר -teen

Word Forms

9 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H4643-04 מַעְשַׂ֤ר maesar HNcmsc the tithe tenth-portion of tithe of 11
H4643-01 הַֽ/מַּעֲשֵׂ֑ר hamaaser HTd/Ncmsa the-tithe the tenth-portion the tenth-portion 6
H4643-05 מַעְשְׂרֹֽתֵי/כֶֽם maeseroteykhem HNcmpc/Sp2mp your tithes your tenth-portions your tithes 4
H4643-07 וּ/מַעְשַׂ֥ר umaesar HC/Ncmsc and tithe and tenth-part of and tithe of 4
H4643-03 מַעֲשֵׂ֖ר maaser HNcmsa the tithe tenth portion the tithe 3
H4643-02 מַעֲשַׂ֤ר maasar HNcmsc the tithe tenth-portion of tithe-portion 1
H4643-06 מִ/מַּֽעַשְׂר֑/וֹ mimaasero HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms of his tithe from his tenth-portion from his tithe 1
H4643-08 וְ/הַֽ/מַּעֲשֵׂ֛ר vehamaaser HC/Td/Ncmsa and the tithe the tenth-part and the tithe 1
H4643-09 וְ/לַ/מַּֽעַשְׂרוֹת֒ velamaaserot HC/Rd/Ncmpa and for the tithes tenth-portions and for the tenth-portions 1

Occurrences in Scripture

32 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H4643-03 Genesis 14:20 מַעֲשֵׂ֖ר maaser HNcmsa a tenth tenth portion a tenth
H4643-04 Leviticus 27:30 מַעְשַׂ֨ר maesar HNcmsc tithe tenth-portion of tithe of
H4643-06 Leviticus 27:31 מִ/מַּֽעַשְׂר֑/וֹ mimaasero HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms of his tithe from his tenth-portion from his tithe
H4643-04 Leviticus 27:32 מַעְשַׂ֤ר maesar HNcmsc tithe tenth-portion of tithe of
H4643-03 Numbers 18:21 מַֽעֲשֵׂ֥ר maaser HNcmsa the tithe tenth portion the tithe
H4643-04 Numbers 18:24 מַעְשַׂ֣ר maesar HNcmsc tithe tenth-portion of tithe
H4643-01 Numbers 18:26 הַֽ/מַּעֲשֵׂ֗ר hamaaser HTd/Ncmsa the-tithe the tenth-portion the tenth-portion
H4643-03 Numbers 18:26 מַעֲשֵׂ֖ר maaser HNcmsa tithe tenth portion tenth portion
H4643-01 Numbers 18:26 הַֽ/מַּעֲשֵֽׂר hamaaser-2 HTd/Ncmsa the-tithe the tenth-portion the tenth-portion
H4643-05 Numbers 18:28 מַעְשְׂרֹ֣תֵי/כֶ֔ם maeseroteykhem HNcmpc/Sp2mp your tithes your tenth-portions your tenth-portions
H4643-05 Deuteronomy 12:6 מַעְשְׂרֹ֣תֵי/כֶ֔ם maeseroteykhem HNcmpc/Sp2mp your tithes your tenth-portions your tithes
H4643-05 Deuteronomy 12:11 מַעְשְׂרֹֽתֵי/כֶם֙ maeseroteykhem HNcmpc/Sp2mp your tithes your tenth-portions your tithes
H4643-04 Deuteronomy 12:17 מַעְשַׂ֤ר maesar HNcmsc the tithe tenth-portion of tenth-portion of
H4643-04 Deuteronomy 14:23 מַעְשַׂ֤ר maesar HNcmsc the tithe tenth-portion of the tithe
H4643-04 Deuteronomy 14:28 מַעְשַׂר֙ maesar HNcmsc the tithe tenth-portion of tithe
H4643-04 Deuteronomy 26:12 מַעְשַׂ֧ר maesar HNcmsc the tithe tenth-portion of tithe of
H4643-01 Deuteronomy 26:12 הַֽ/מַּעֲשֵׂ֑ר hamaaser HTd/Ncmsa of tithing the tenth-portion the tithe
H4643-04 Ezekiel 45:11 מַעְשַׂ֥ר maesar HNcmsc a tenth tenth-portion of tenth-portion of
H4643-04 Ezekiel 45:14 מַעְשַׂ֤ר maesar HNcmsc a tenth tenth-portion of tenth-portion of
H4643-05 Amos 4:4 מַעְשְׂרֹֽתֵי/כֶֽם maeseroteykhem HNcmpc/Sp2mp your tithes your tenth-portions your tithes
H4643-01 Malachi 3:8 הַֽ/מַּעֲשֵׂ֖ר hamaaser HTd/Ncmsa the tithe the tenth-portion the tithe
H4643-01 Malachi 3:10 הַֽ/מַּעֲשֵׂ֜ר hamaaser HTd/Ncmsa tithe the tenth-portion the tenth-portion
H4643-07 Nehemiah 10:38 וּ/מַעְשַׂ֥ר umaesar HC/Ncmsc and tithe and tenth-part of and tithe of
H4643-02 Nehemiah 10:39 מַעֲשַׂ֤ר maasar HNcmsc the tithe tenth-portion of tithe-portion
H4643-01 Nehemiah 10:39 הַֽ/מַּעֲשֵׂר֙ hamaaser HTd/Ncmsa of the tithes the tenth-portion the tithe-portion
H4643-09 Nehemiah 12:44 וְ/לַ/מַּֽעַשְׂרוֹת֒ velamaaserot HC/Rd/Ncmpa and for the tithes tenth-portions and for the tenth-portions
H4643-07 Nehemiah 13:5 וּ/מַעְשַׂ֤ר umaesar HC/Ncmsc and tithe and tenth-part of and the tithe
H4643-04 Nehemiah 13:12 מַעְשַׂ֧ר maesar HNcmsc tithe tenth-portion of tithe of
H4643-07 2 Chronicles 31:5 וּ/מַעְשַׂ֥ר umaesar HC/Ncmsc and the tithe of and tenth-part of and tithe of
H4643-04 2 Chronicles 31:6 מַעְשַׂ֤ר maesar HNcmsc tithe of tenth-portion of tithe of
H4643-07 2 Chronicles 31:6 וּ/מַעְשַׂ֣ר umaesar HC/Ncmsc and tithe of and tenth-part of and tithe of
H4643-08 2 Chronicles 31:12 וְ/הַֽ/מַּעֲשֵׂ֛ר vehamaaser HC/Td/Ncmsa and the tithe the tenth-part and the tithe
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