מֹשֶׁה
𐤌𐤔𐤄
Mosheh
H4873 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A proper noun referring to Môsheh, an individual of immense significance in Israelite tradition; primarily known as the son of Amram and Yocheved from the tribe of Levi, Môsheh is portrayed as the leader who brought the Israelites out of Egypt (the Exodus), served as mediator at Sinai, received and transmitted divine laws, and guided the people through the wilderness. The word operates overwhelmingly as a personal name and does not function as a common noun or title in Hebrew.
Semantic Range
proper name of an Israelite-Levite leader; the personal name of the Exodus mediator and transmitter of law; rarely as an eponym for the Torah or law, and only in much later contexts
Root / Etymology
Root uncertain. The name מֹשֶׁה (Môsheh) is likely of Egyptian origin, possibly related to the Egyptian root ms or msy ('born of,' 'child,' 'son of,' as in names like Thutmose [Thoth is born]), and may have been assimilated into Hebrew phonology and spelling. The Hebrew narrative in Exodus 2:10 offers a folk etymology, connecting it to the Hebrew verb משׁה (mashah, 'to draw out'), referencing how Pharaoh’s daughter 'drew out' the infant from the water, but this does not reflect the likely original linguistic derivation.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The name מֹשֶׁה appears nearly always as a personal name in the Hebrew Bible, uniquely attached to the prominent leader regarded as the mediator between YHWH and Israel in the periods of the Exodus and wilderness wanderings. The name is not applied generically to any other figures in the Tanakh. In later tradition, including the Septuagint, the name is rendered as Μωϋσῆς (Mōusēs), leading to the widespread use of 'Moses' in English and other languages. The folk etymology in Exodus 2:10 is a narrative device rather than a true etymological explanation. Later Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions expanded the figure's significance, but in the biblical texts the name's use is limited to the person himself. The use of 'Moses' as a paradigmatic lawgiver is a later development and should not be presumed as an inherent lexical meaning in ancient contexts.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
(Aramaic) corresponding to מֹשֶׁה; {Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver}; Moses.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
משה (m-š-h) — draw out, extract
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4873-01 |
מֹשֶֽׁה | mosheh | ANp |
of Moses | Mosheh | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4873-01 |
Ezra 6:18 | מֹשֶֽׁה | mosheh | ANp |
of Moses | Mosheh |