מַשָּׁאָה
𐤌𐤔𐤀𐤄
mashshâʼâh
H4859 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A loan or something loaned, particularly a sum of money or commodity extended to another with the expectation of repayment; an indebted item or obligation. In biblical contexts, the term refers both to the object loaned and the situation or state of debt, especially within practices regulated in Israelite society (such as lending provisions in the Torah).
Semantic Range
loan, something loaned, borrowed item, sum of money lent, debt, obligation for repayment
Root / Etymology
From the root נָשָׁא (n-š-ʾ), meaning 'to lend, to borrow, to take up, to carry.' The form מַשָּׁאָה is a feminine noun derivative from the verb, denoting the object or item resulting from the action of lending or borrowing.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, מַשָּׁאָה occurs in contexts regulating economic relationships, such as laws about lending to fellow Israelites, prohibition of interest, and requirements for debt release. The term is distinct from חוֹב (ḥov, 'debt, obligation'), which more generally denotes the state or burden of owing, rather than the specific object lent. In later periods, the term's usage was sometimes extended to more abstract notions of obligation. English translations often use 'loan' or 'debt,' but these may not always capture the reciprocal and relational aspects of the original context—especially the emphasis in the Torah on communal responsibility and the temporary nature of indebtedness among Israelites. The concept and regulation of מַשָּׁאָה reflect social and economic structures prominent in the pre-exilic and Second Temple eras.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
feminine of מַשָּׁא; a loan; [idiom] any(-thing), debt.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
נשא (n-š-ʾ) — to lend, to borrow, to carry, to take up
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4853 | מַשָּׂא | in the burden |
| H4854 | מַשָּׂא | burden of |
| H4856 | מַשֹּׂא | and lifting-up-of |
| H4858 | מַשָּׂאָה | rising mass |
| H4864 | מַשְׂאֵת | raised portion |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4859-02 |
מַשַּׁ֣את | mashat | HNcfsc |
a loan | loan-of | 1 |
H4859-01 |
מַשָּׁאֽוֹת | mashaot | HNcfpa |
for debts | loans | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4859-02 |
Deuteronomy 24:10 | מַשַּׁ֣את | mashat | HNcfsc |
a loan | loan-of |
H4859-01 |
Proverbs 22:26 | מַשָּׁאֽוֹת | mashaot | HNcfpa |
for debts | loans |