מָשַׁח (H4886) — Hebrew Lexicon

מָשַׁח

𐤌𐤔𐤇

mâshach

H4886 verb

SILEX Entry

Root משׁח to smear, to rub, to spread

Definition

To apply oil or a substance by rubbing or smearing, especially in a ceremonial or official context; in extended usage, to set apart, designate, or inaugurate through an act of anointing. The primary lexical meaning is the ritual act of anointing, typically with oil, as a sign of consecration or appointment.

Semantic Range

to anoint ceremonially (appoint to office, consecrate), to rub or smear oil/substance, to paint, to spread (as with ointment or color), to designate or install through anointing

Root / Etymology

From the root משׁח, which has the core sense of 'to smear, rub, or spread.' The verb retains this basic notion in both ritual and non-ritual contexts, such as anointing persons (with oil for appointment to special status such as king, priest, or prophet) or objects, and occasionally for more general smearing or painting actions.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, מָשַׁח is chiefly used for the ceremonial act of anointing individuals or objects, especially in the context of coronating Israelite kings (e.g., Saul, David, Solomon) or consecrating high priests and sacred objects in the tabernacle or temple. The act signified divine selection and empowerment. There are rare instances where the word refers simply to smearing or painting (e.g., Is 21:5). Importantly, the English word 'anoint' often lacks the broader physical aspect inherent in the Hebrew term. In later periods, including Second Temple and post-biblical literature, the term and its noun forms (e.g., מָשִׁיחַ, 'one anointed,' i.e., 'messiah') acquired additional theological connotations not universally present in earlier texts. The act itself was neither limited to Israelites nor unique to Israelite practice, but it took on distinctive covenantal and communal significance within Israelite and Judahite tradition.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to rub with oil, i.e. to anoint; by implication, to consecrate; also to paint; anoint, paint.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

משׁח (m-š-ḥ) — to smear, to rub, to spread

Word Forms

32 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H4886-21`	וּ/מָשַׁחְתָּ֨	umashacheta	`HC/Vqq2ms`	and you shall anoint	and you smeared/anointed	11
`H4886-25`	וַ/יִּמְשַׁ֥ח	vayimeshach	`HC/Vqw3ms`	and he anointed	and he anointed	6
`H4886-29`	וַ/יִּמְשְׁחוּ	vayimeshechu	`HC/Vqw3mp`	and they anointed	and they anointed	6
`H4886-12`	מְשַׁחְתִּ֤י/ךָֽ	meshachetikha	`HVqp1cs/Sp2ms`	I have anointed you	I have anointed you	4
`H4886-15`	מְשֻׁחִ֣ים	meshuchim	`HVqsmpa`	anointed	anointed ones	4
`H4886-02`	הִמָּשַׁ֣ח	himashach	`HVNc`	it was anointed	to be anointed	4
`H4886-19`	תִּמְשָׁ֑ח	timeshach	`HVqi2ms`	you shall anoint	you will anoint	3
`H4886-09`	מָשְׁח֧וּ	mashechu	`HVqp3cp`	they had anointed	they anointed	3
`H4886-10`	מְשָׁחֲ/ךָ֧	meshachakha	`HVqp3ms/Sp2ms`	anointed you	he anointed you	2
`H4886-28`	וַ/יִּמְשָׁחֻ֑/הוּ	vayimeshachuhu	`HC/Vqw3mp/Sp3ms`	and anointed him	they anointed him	2
`H4886-05`	מָשַׁ֥ח	mashach	`HVqp3ms`	has anointed	he anointed	2
`H4886-07`	מָשַׁ֤חְתָּ	mashacheta	`HVqp2ms`	you anointed	you anointed	2
`H4886-01`	הַ/מְּשֻׁחִ֑ים	hameshuchim	`HTd/Vqsmpa`	the anointed	the oil-smeared ones	1
`H4886-13`	מְשַׁחְתִּֽי/ו	meshachetiv	`HVqp1cs/Sp3ms`	I have anointed him	I anointed him	1
`H4886-14`	מְשָׁח֣/וֹ	meshacho	`HVqp3ms/Sp3ms`	he had anointed	he anointed him	1
`H4886-18`	נִמְשַׁ֨ח	nimeshach	`HVNp3ms`	had been anointed	was anointed	1
`H4886-23`	וּ/מָשׁ֣וּחַ	umashucha	`HC/Vqsmsa`	though anointed	and anointed one	1
`H4886-11`	מְשָׁחֵ֖/הוּ	meshachehu	`HVqv2ms/Sp3ms`	anoint him	Anoint him	1
`H4886-17`	מֹשְׁחִ֨ים	moshechim	`HVqrmpa`	anointing	anointing ones	1
`H4886-16`	מִשְׁח֥וּ	mishechu	`HVqv2mp`	anoint	Anoint, you all!	1
`H4886-06`	מָשַׁ֣חְנוּ	mashachenu	`HVqp1cp`	we anointed	we anointed	1
`H4886-27`	וַ/יִּמְשָׁחֵ֖/ם	vayimeshachem	`HC/Vqw3ms/Sp3mp`	and he anointed them	and he anointed them	1
`H4886-30`	וְ/לִ/מְשֹׁ֖חַ	velimeshocha	`HC/R/Vqc`	and to anoint	and to smear with oil	1
`H4886-31`	יִמְשַׁ֣ח	yimeshach	`HVqi3ms`	is anointed	he will anoint	1
`H4886-22`	וּ/מָשׁ֖וֹחַ	umashocha	`HC/Vqa`	and painted	and anointing	1
`H4886-26`	וַ/יִּמְשָׁחֲ/ךָ֧	vayimeshachakha	`HC/Vqw3ms/Sp2ms`	anointed you	he anointed you	1
`H4886-03`	לִ/מְשָׁחֳ/ךָ֣	limeshachokha	`HR/Vqc/Sp2ms`	to anoint you	to anoint you	1
`H4886-32`	יִמְשָׁ֑חוּ	yimeshachu	`HVqi3mp`	they anoint themselves	they will anoint	1
`H4886-08`	מָשְׁח֣/וֹ	mashecho	`HVqc/Sp3ms`	anointing-him	his anointing	1
`H4886-04`	לִ/מְשֹׁ֥חַ	limeshocha	`HR/Vqc`	to anoint	to anoint	1
`H4886-24`	וּ/מְשַׁחְתּ֤/וֹ	umeshacheto	`HC/Vqq2ms/Sp3ms`	and you shall anoint him	and you shall anoint him	1
`H4886-20`	וּ/מָשַׁ֣ח	umashach	`HC/Vqq3ms`	and anoint	and he anointed	1

Occurrences in Scripture

69 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H4886-07`	Genesis 31:13	מָשַׁ֤חְתָּ	mashacheta	`HVqp2ms`	you anointed	you anointed
`H4886-21`	Exodus 28:41	וּ/מָשַׁחְתָּ֨	umashacheta	`HC/Vqq2ms`	and you shall anoint	and you smeared/anointed
`H4886-15`	Exodus 29:2	מְשֻׁחִ֣ים	meshuchim	`HVqsmpa`	anointed	anointed ones
`H4886-21`	Exodus 29:7	וּ/מָשַׁחְתָּ֖	umashacheta	`HC/Vqq2ms`	and anoint	and you smeared/anointed
`H4886-21`	Exodus 29:36	וּ/מָֽשַׁחְתָּ֥	umashacheta	`HC/Vqq2ms`	and-you-shall-anoint	and you smeared/anointed
`H4886-21`	Exodus 30:26	וּ/מָשַׁחְתָּ֥	umashacheta	`HC/Vqq2ms`	and you shall anoint	and you smeared/anointed
`H4886-19`	Exodus 30:30	תִּמְשָׁ֑ח	timeshach	`HVqi2ms`	you shall anoint	you will anoint
`H4886-21`	Exodus 40:9	וּ/מָשַׁחְתָּ֥	umashacheta	`HC/Vqq2ms`	and anoint	and you smeared/anointed
`H4886-21`	Exodus 40:10	וּ/מָשַׁחְתָּ֛	umashacheta	`HC/Vqq2ms`	and you shall anoint	and you smeared/anointed
`H4886-21`	Exodus 40:11	וּ/מָשַׁחְתָּ֥	umashacheta	`HC/Vqq2ms`	and you shall anoint	and you smeared/anointed
`H4886-21`	Exodus 40:13	וּ/מָשַׁחְתָּ֥	umashacheta	`HC/Vqq2ms`	and you shall anoint	and you smeared/anointed
`H4886-21`	Exodus 40:15	וּ/מָשַׁחְתָּ֣	umashacheta	`HC/Vqq2ms`	and-you-shall-anoint	and you smeared/anointed
`H4886-07`	Exodus 40:15	מָשַׁ֨חְתָּ֙	mashacheta	`HVqp2ms`	you-anointed	you anointed
`H4886-15`	Leviticus 2:4	מְשֻׁחִ֥ים	meshuchim	`HVqsmpa`	anointed	anointed ones
`H4886-02`	Leviticus 6:13	הִמָּשַׁ֣ח	himashach	`HVNc`	he is anointed	to be anointed
`H4886-15`	Leviticus 7:12	מְשֻׁחִ֣ים	meshuchim	`HVqsmpa`	anointed	anointed ones
`H4886-08`	Leviticus 7:36	מָשְׁח֣/וֹ	mashecho	`HVqc/Sp3ms`	anointing-him	his anointing
`H4886-25`	Leviticus 8:10	וַ/יִּמְשַׁ֥ח	vayimeshach	`HC/Vqw3ms`	and anointed	and he anointed
`H4886-25`	Leviticus 8:11	וַ/יִּמְשַׁ֨ח	vayimeshach	`HC/Vqw3ms`	and he anointed	and he anointed
`H4886-25`	Leviticus 8:12	וַ/יִּמְשַׁ֥ח	vayimeshach	`HC/Vqw3ms`	and he anointed	and he anointed
`H4886-31`	Leviticus 16:32	יִמְשַׁ֣ח	yimeshach	`HVqi3ms`	is anointed	he will anoint
`H4886-01`	Numbers 3:3	הַ/מְּשֻׁחִ֑ים	hameshuchim	`HTd/Vqsmpa`	the anointed	the oil-smeared ones
`H4886-15`	Numbers 6:15	מְשֻׁחִ֣ים	meshuchim	`HVqsmpa`	anointed	anointed ones
`H4886-25`	Numbers 7:1	וַ/יִּמְשַׁ֨ח	vayimeshach	`HC/Vqw3ms`	and he anointed	and he anointed
`H4886-27`	Numbers 7:1	וַ/יִּמְשָׁחֵ֖/ם	vayimeshachem	`HC/Vqw3ms/Sp3mp`	and he anointed them	and he anointed them
`H4886-02`	Numbers 7:10	הִמָּשַׁ֣ח	himashach	`HVNc`	it was anointed	to be anointed
`H4886-02`	Numbers 7:84	הִמָּשַׁ֣ח	himashach	`HVNc`	it_was_anointed	to be anointed
`H4886-02`	Numbers 7:88	הִמָּשַׁ֥ח	himashach	`HVNc`	it was anointed	to be anointed
`H4886-05`	Numbers 35:25	מָשַׁ֥ח	mashach	`HVqp3ms`	was anointed	he anointed
`H4886-04`	Judges 9:8	לִ/מְשֹׁ֥חַ	limeshocha	`HR/Vqc`	to anoint	to anoint
`H4886-17`	Judges 9:15	מֹשְׁחִ֨ים	moshechim	`HVqrmpa`	anointing	anointing ones
`H4886-24`	1 Samuel 9:16	וּ/מְשַׁחְתּ֤/וֹ	umeshacheto	`HC/Vqq2ms/Sp3ms`	and you shall anoint him	and you shall anoint him
`H4886-10`	1 Samuel 10:1	מְשָׁחֲ/ךָ֧	meshachakha	`HVqp3ms/Sp2ms`	anointed you	he anointed you
`H4886-03`	1 Samuel 15:1	לִ/מְשָׁחֳ/ךָ֣	limeshachokha	`HR/Vqc/Sp2ms`	to anoint you	to anoint you
`H4886-26`	1 Samuel 15:17	וַ/יִּמְשָׁחֲ/ךָ֧	vayimeshachakha	`HC/Vqw3ms/Sp2ms`	anointed you	he anointed you
`H4886-21`	1 Samuel 16:3	וּ/מָשַׁחְתָּ֣	umashacheta	`HC/Vqq2ms`	and-you-shall-anoint	and you smeared/anointed
`H4886-11`	1 Samuel 16:12	מְשָׁחֵ֖/הוּ	meshachehu	`HVqv2ms/Sp3ms`	anoint him	Anoint him
`H4886-25`	1 Samuel 16:13	וַ/יִּמְשַׁ֣ח	vayimeshach	`HC/Vqw3ms`	and anointed	and he anointed
`H4886-29`	2 Samuel 2:4	וַ/יִּמְשְׁחוּ	vayimeshechu	`HC/Vqw3mp`	and they anointed	and they anointed
`H4886-09`	2 Samuel 2:7	מָשְׁח֧וּ	mashechu	`HVqp3cp`	have anointed	they anointed
`H4886-23`	2 Samuel 3:39	וּ/מָשׁ֣וּחַ	umashucha	`HC/Vqsmsa`	though anointed	and anointed one
`H4886-29`	2 Samuel 5:3	וַ/יִּמְשְׁח֧וּ	vayimeshechu	`HC/Vqw3mp`	and they anointed	and they anointed
`H4886-09`	2 Samuel 5:17	מָשְׁח֨וּ	mashechu	`HVqp3cp`	they had anointed	they anointed
`H4886-12`	2 Samuel 12:7	מְשַׁחְתִּ֤י/ךָֽ	meshachetikha	`HVqp1cs/Sp2ms`	anointed you	I have anointed you
`H4886-06`	2 Samuel 19:11	מָשַׁ֣חְנוּ	mashachenu	`HVqp1cp`	we anointed	we anointed
`H4886-20`	1 Kings 1:34	וּ/מָשַׁ֣ח	umashach	`HC/Vqq3ms`	and anoint	and he anointed
`H4886-25`	1 Kings 1:39	וַ/יִּמְשַׁ֖ח	vayimeshach	`HC/Vqw3ms`	and anointed	and he anointed
`H4886-29`	1 Kings 1:45	וַ/יִּמְשְׁח֣וּ	vayimeshechu	`HC/Vqw3mp`	and-they-anointed	and they anointed
`H4886-09`	1 Kings 5:15	מָשְׁח֥וּ	mashechu	`HVqp3cp`	they had anointed	they anointed
`H4886-21`	1 Kings 19:15	וּ/מָשַׁחְתָּ֧	umashacheta	`HC/Vqq2ms`	you shall anoint	and you smeared/anointed
`H4886-19`	1 Kings 19:16	תִּמְשַׁ֥ח	timeshach	`HVqi2ms`	you shall anoint	you will anoint
`H4886-19`	1 Kings 19:16	תִּמְשַׁ֥ח	timeshach-2	`HVqi2ms`	you shall anoint	you will anoint
`H4886-12`	2 Kings 9:3	מְשַׁחְתִּ֥י/ךָֽ	meshachetikha	`HVqp1cs/Sp2ms`	I have anointed you	I have anointed you
`H4886-12`	2 Kings 9:6	מְשַׁחְתִּ֧י/ךָֽ	meshachetikha	`HVqp1cs/Sp2ms`	I have anointed you	I have anointed you
`H4886-12`	2 Kings 9:12	מְשַׁחְתִּ֥י/ךָֽ	meshachetikha	`HVqp1cs/Sp2ms`	I have anointed you	I have anointed you
`H4886-28`	2 Kings 11:12	וַ/יִּמְשָׁחֻ֑/הוּ	vayimeshachuhu	`HC/Vqw3mp/Sp3ms`	and anointed him	they anointed him
`H4886-29`	2 Kings 23:30	וַ/יִּמְשְׁח֥וּ	vayimeshechu	`HC/Vqw3mp`	and they anointed	and they anointed
`H4886-16`	Isaiah 21:5	מִשְׁח֥וּ	mishechu	`HVqv2mp`	anoint	Anoint, you all!
`H4886-05`	Isaiah 61:1	מָשַׁח֩	mashach	`HVqp3ms`	has anointed	he anointed
`H4886-22`	Jeremiah 22:14	וּ/מָשׁ֖וֹחַ	umashocha	`HC/Vqa`	and painted	and anointing
`H4886-32`	Amos 6:6	יִמְשָׁ֑חוּ	yimeshachu	`HVqi3mp`	they anoint themselves	they will anoint
`H4886-10`	Psalms 45:8	מְשָׁחֲ/ךָ֡	meshachakha	`HVqp3ms/Sp2ms`	God anointed you	he anointed you
`H4886-13`	Psalms 89:21	מְשַׁחְתִּֽי/ו	meshachetiv	`HVqp1cs/Sp3ms`	I have anointed him	I anointed him
`H4886-30`	Daniel 9:24	וְ/לִ/מְשֹׁ֖חַ	velimeshocha	`HC/R/Vqc`	and to anoint	and to smear with oil
`H4886-29`	1 Chronicles 11:3	וַ/יִּמְשְׁח֨וּ	vayimeshechu	`HC/Vqw3mp`	and they anointed	and they anointed
`H4886-18`	1 Chronicles 14:8	נִמְשַׁ֨ח	nimeshach	`HVNp3ms`	had been anointed	was anointed
`H4886-29`	1 Chronicles 29:22	וַ/יִּמְשְׁח֧וּ	vayimeshechu	`HC/Vqw3mp`	and they anointed	and they anointed
`H4886-14`	2 Chronicles 22:7	מְשָׁח֣/וֹ	meshacho	`HVqp3ms/Sp3ms`	he had anointed	he anointed him
`H4886-28`	2 Chronicles 23:11	וַ/יִּמְשָׁחֻ֨/הוּ֙	vayimeshachuhu	`HC/Vqw3mp/Sp3ms`	and anointed him	they anointed him

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