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מַשָּׂא

𐤌𐤔𐤀

massâʼ

H4853 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Primarily, a burden or load, both literal and figurative. In prophetic and poetic contexts, it also denotes an utterance with particular weight—a pronounced oracle, message, or proclamation often of judgment or solemn importance. Can indicate a physical burden (item carried) or metaphorically a heavy responsibility or fate. In later periods and prophetic literature, it commonly designates a prophetic pronouncement, especially of impending calamity or judgment.

Semantic Range

physical burden, load; tribute or imposed levy; duty or responsibility; oracle, prophetic message (especially of judgment); song or musical utterance; figurative mental or emotional burden

Root / Etymology

From the root נָשָׂא (נ-ש-א), meaning 'to lift, carry, bear.' The noun מַשָּׂא directly derives from this root and denotes that which is lifted or carried, i.e., a load or burden. Over time, the semantic range expanded to include metaphorical burdens (responsibilities, destinies) and, especially in prophetic contexts, a 'burden' in the sense of a weighty message or oracle.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In early texts, מַשָּׂא primarily refers to a physical burden, emphasizing what is physically carried or borne (Numbers 4:19, 27: responsibility for transporting sacred objects). With the rise of literary prophecy (8th–6th centuries BCE), the word develops a specialized meaning: an authoritative pronouncement or oracle, often introduced with the phrase 'מַשָּׂא דְּבַר־יְהוָה' (the burden/utterance of YHWH) (Isaiah 13:1, Nahum 1:1). In these contexts, it frames the prophetic message as weighty—both to the speaker and audience—frequently with an emphasis on impending judgment or doom, though not exclusively negative. Some poetic and liturgical texts use מַשָּׂא for a song or musical performance (cf. 1 Chronicles 15:22), but this meaning is secondary, perhaps derived from the idea of 'bearing' a song or declaration aloud. Translations render מַשָּׂא variously as 'burden,' 'oracle,' 'pronouncement,' or, rarely, 'song.' English 'burden' is sometimes misleading, especially in prophetic passages where 'oracle' better reflects the sense, but the underlying metaphor—of a message so weighty it is a 'burden'—remains central. The word contrasts with נְבוּאָה (nevuʼah, 'prophecy'), which does not carry the connotation of weight or doom. In post-exilic texts and early Jewish Greek translations, equivalent terms develop, sometimes rendering it simply as 'prophecy' or 'message.' The meaning of tribute or imposed levy also appears (Zechariah 12:1), but is less common. Overall, מַשָּׂא illustrates the figurative depth and evolving literary use of ancient Hebrew.

Translation Consistency

primary "burden" 50 occurrences

Most common and natural English equivalent in the P2 data and in standard translations. "Burden" covers the primary literal sense (load, levy, duty) and the dominant prophetic sense (a weighty oracle or pronouncement—e.g., “the burden of …”), so it preserves the typical usage and feels natural in both physical and figurative contexts.

✓ All renderings match approved senses

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from נָשָׂא; a burden; specifically, tribute, or (abstractly) porterage; figuratively, an utterance, chiefly adoom, especially singing; mental, desire; burden, carry away, prophecy, [idiom] they set, song, tribute.

Bantu Hebrew

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

Root Family

נשא (massâʼ) — to lift, to carry, to bear

Root נשא to lift, to carry, to bear
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4856 מַשֹּׂא and lifting-up-of
H4858 מַשָּׂאָה rising mass
H4859 מַשָּׁאָה loans
H5379 נִשֵּׂאת the lifted-up gift
H5385 נְשׂוּאָה your carried-loads

Word Forms

12 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H4853-06 מַשָּׂ֑א masa HNcmsa burden burden of burden of 38
H4853-03 הַ/מַּשָּׂ֖א hamasa HTd/Ncmsa the burden the burden the burden 9
H4853-07 מַשָּׂאָ֔/ם masaam HNcmsc/Sp3mp their burdens their burden their burden 4
H4853-05 לְ/מַשָּֽׂא lemasa HR/Ncmsa a burden for a burden for a burden 3
H4853-08 מַשָּׂא֔/וֹ masao HNcmsc/Sp3ms his burden his burden his burden 3
H4853-02 בְּ/מַשָּׂ֑א bemasa HR/Ncmsa in-burden in a burden of in charge of the singing 2
H4853-01 בַּ/מַּשָּׂ֔א bamasa HRd/Ncmsa in singing in the burden in the singing 1
H4853-04 כְּ/מַשָּׂ֥א kemasa HR/Ncmsa like a burden like a burden like a burden 1
H4853-09 מִ/מַּשָּׂ֖א mimasa HR/Ncmsc because of the burden from burden-of from the burden of 1
H4853-10 וּ/לְ/מַשָּֽׂא ulemasa HC/R/Ncmsa and for burden and for a burden and for a burden 1

Occurrences in Scripture

65 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H4853-08 Exodus 23:5 מַשָּׂא֔/וֹ masao HNcmsc/Sp3ms its burden his burden his burden
H4853-06 Numbers 4:15 מַשָּׂ֥א masa HNcmsc burden burden of burden of
H4853-08 Numbers 4:19 מַשָּׂאֽ/וֹ masao HNcmsc/Sp3ms his burden his burden his burden
H4853-10 Numbers 4:24 וּ/לְ/מַשָּֽׂא ulemasa HC/R/Ncmsa and for burden and for a burden and for a burden
H4853-07 Numbers 4:27 מַשָּׂאָ֔/ם masaam HNcmsc/Sp3mp their burdens their burden their burden
H4853-07 Numbers 4:27 מַשָּׂאָֽ/ם masaam-2 HNcmsc/Sp3mp their burdens their burden their burden
H4853-07 Numbers 4:31 מַשָּׂאָ֔/ם masaam HNcmsc/Sp3mp of their burden their burden their burden
H4853-07 Numbers 4:32 מַשָּׂאָֽ/ם masaam HNcmsc/Sp3mp their-burden their burden their burden
H4853-06 Numbers 4:47 מַשָּׂ֖א masa HNcmsa burden burden of burden of
H4853-08 Numbers 4:49 מַשָּׂא֑/וֹ masao HNcmsc/Sp3ms his burden his burden his burden
H4853-06 Numbers 11:11 מַשָּׂ֛א masa HNcmsc burden burden of burden of
H4853-02 Numbers 11:17 בְּ/מַשָּׂ֣א bemasa HR/Ncmsc in-burden in a burden of in the burden of
H4853-12 Deuteronomy 1:12 וּ/מַֽשַּׂאֲ/כֶ֖ם umasaakhem HC/Ncmsc/Sp2mp and your burden and your burden and your burden
H4853-05 2 Samuel 15:33 לְ/מַשָּֽׂא lemasa HR/Ncmsa a burden for a burden for a burden
H4853-05 2 Samuel 19:36 לְ/מַשָּׂ֔א lemasa HR/Ncmsa a burden for a burden for a burden
H4853-06 2 Kings 5:17 מַשָּׂ֥א masa HNcmsc load burden of burden of
H4853-06 2 Kings 8:9 מַשָּׂ֖א masa HNcmsc burden burden of burden of
H4853-03 2 Kings 9:25 הַ/מַּשָּׂ֖א hamasa HTd/Ncmsa burden the burden the burden
H4853-06 Isaiah 13:1 מַשָּׂ֖א masa HNcmsc The burden burden of burden of
H4853-03 Isaiah 14:28 הַ/מַּשָּׂ֥א hamasa HTd/Ncmsa this oracle the burden the burden
H4853-06 Isaiah 15:1 מַשָּׂ֖א masa HNcmsc The burden burden of burden of
H4853-06 Isaiah 17:1 מַשָּׂ֖א masa HNcmsc The oracle burden of burden of
H4853-06 Isaiah 19:1 מַשָּׂ֖א masa HNcmsc The burden burden of burden of
H4853-06 Isaiah 21:1 מַשָּׂ֖א masa HNcmsc The burden burden of burden of
H4853-06 Isaiah 21:11 מַשָּׂ֖א masa HNcmsc The burden burden of burden of
H4853-06 Isaiah 21:13 מַשָּׂ֖א masa HNcmsa The oracle burden of burden of
H4853-06 Isaiah 22:1 מַשָּׂ֖א masa HNcmsc The oracle burden of burden of
H4853-03 Isaiah 22:25 הַ/מַּשָּׂ֣א hamasa HTd/Ncmsa the-burden the burden the burden
H4853-06 Isaiah 23:1 מַשָּׂ֖א masa HNcmsc The oracle burden of burden of
H4853-06 Isaiah 30:6 מַשָּׂ֖א masa HNcmsc burden burden of burden of
H4853-06 Isaiah 46:1 מַשָּׂ֖א masa HNcmsa burden burden of burden of
H4853-06 Isaiah 46:2 מַשָּׂ֑א masa HNcmsa the burden burden of burden of
H4853-06 Jeremiah 17:21 מַשָּׂא֙ masa HNcmsa a burden burden of burden of
H4853-06 Jeremiah 17:22 מַשָּׂ֤א masa HNcmsa a burden burden of a burden
H4853-06 Jeremiah 17:24 מַשָּׂ֗א masa HNcmsa burden burden of burden
H4853-06 Jeremiah 17:27 מַשָּׂ֗א masa HNcmsa a burden burden of a burden
H4853-06 Jeremiah 23:33 מַשָּׂ֖א masa HNcmsc burden burden of burden
H4853-06 Jeremiah 23:33 מַשָּׂ֔א masa-2 HNcmsa burden burden of burden
H4853-06 Jeremiah 23:34 מַשָּׂ֣א masa HNcmsc burden burden of burden of
H4853-11 Jeremiah 23:36 וּ/מַשָּׂ֥א umasa HC/Ncmsc and the burden and burden-of and burden
H4853-03 Jeremiah 23:36 הַ/מַּשָּׂ֗א hamasa HTd/Ncmsa the burden the burden the burden
H4853-06 Jeremiah 23:38 מַשָּׂ֣א masa HNcmsc oracle burden of burden of
H4853-06 Jeremiah 23:38 מַשָּׂ֣א masa-2 HNcmsc oracle burden of burden of
H4853-06 Jeremiah 23:38 מַשָּׂ֥א masa-3 HNcmsc oracle burden of burden of
H4853-03 Ezekiel 12:10 הַ/מַּשָּׂ֤א hamasa HTd/Ncmsa the burden the burden the burden
H4853-06 Ezekiel 24:25 מַשָּׂ֣א masa HNcmsc lifting up burden of burden of
H4853-09 Hosea 8:10 מִ/מַּשָּׂ֖א mimasa HR/Ncmsc because of the burden from burden-of from the burden of
H4853-06 Nahum 1:1 מַשָּׂ֖א masa HNcmsc The oracle burden of burden of
H4853-03 Habakkuk 1:1 הַ/מַּשָׂא֙ hamasa HTd/Ncmsa the oracle the burden the burden
H4853-06 Zechariah 9:1 מַשָּׂ֤א masa HNcmsc The oracle burden of burden of
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