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מַשָּׁא

𐤌𐤔𐤀

mashshâʼ

H4855 noun

SILEX Entry

Root נשה to lend, to borrow, to demand payment

Definition

A loan—something lent or borrowed—especially in a monetary context; by extension, interest or usury—an additional payment required beyond the principal. Occasionally used for the exaction or collection made in connection with a debt.

Semantic Range

loan, borrowing, something lent, debt, interest on debt, usury, exaction, collection of repayment

Root / Etymology

Root: נשה (n-š-h). The root primarily means 'to lend, borrow, or demand a debt.' מַשָּׁא (mashshaʼ) is a noun form derived from this root, denoting something lent (a loan), or what is owed in connection with lending. The word is built from the root into a nominal pattern (maCCāʼ), forming an abstract or collective noun.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, מַשָּׁא appears in contexts of economic transactions, particularly within legal literature or didactic texts warning against exploiting persons by charging interest (cf. Neh 5:10; Ezek 18:8,13,17). The term could refer both to the principal of a loan and, in some cases, to the interest or usurious gain demanded by a creditor. The stricter usage for 'interest' or 'usury' reflects later developments in post-exilic and Second Temple texts, alongside the emergence of a broader legal and social critique of moneylending practices. English translations often render the word as 'usury' or 'interest,' but in classical biblical usage it broadly means any exaction or demand on a loan, not always implying the pejorative sense carried by 'usury' in later English. Related terms: נֶשֶׁךְ (neshekh) typically focuses on 'biting interest' (i.e., excessive usury), while תַרְבִּית (tarbit) refers to interest more generally or profit on loans. Unlike these, מַשָּׁא pivots between the act of lending and the demand for repayment or surplus, highlighting the transactional aspect.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from נָשָׁה; a loan; by implication, interest on adebt; exaction, usury.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

נשה (n-š-h) — to lend, to borrow, to demand payment

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3449 יִשִּׁיָּה And Yahweh-will-lend
H4519 מְנַשֶּׁה in Forget-causer
H4520 מְנַשִּׁי the Manassite
H4860 מַשָּׁאוֹן in treachery
H4874 מַשֶּׁה debt-of

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H4855-01 הַ/מַּשָּׁ֥א hamasha HTd/Ncmsa the burden the loan 1
H4855-02 מַשָּׁ֥א masha HNcmsa a loan loan-debt 1
H4855-03 וּ/מַשָּׁ֥א umasha HC/Ncmsc and-[lift/burden] and loan of 1

Occurrences in Scripture

3 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H4855-02 Nehemiah 5:7 מַשָּׁ֥א masha HNcmsa a loan loan-debt
H4855-01 Nehemiah 5:10 הַ/מַּשָּׁ֥א hamasha HTd/Ncmsa the burden the loan
H4855-03 Nehemiah 10:32 וּ/מַשָּׁ֥א umasha HC/Ncmsc and-[lift/burden] and loan of
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