מַשָּׁק
𐤌𐤔𐤒
mashshâq
H4944 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A movement or act of flowing, moving quickly or traversing, especially in the sense of dashing or running. The term denotes rapid or continuous motion, such as running back and forth, and can extend to related ideas like a flow or stream in poetic usage. It signifies not only literal running but also the energetic or repeated passage across a space.
Semantic Range
running to and fro, rapid movement, bustling motion, streaming, surging, traversing swiftly
Root / Etymology
From the root שָׁקַק (sh-q-q), meaning 'to run, rush, surge.' מַשָּׁק is a noun formation denoting the act or quality of moving swiftly, with a sense of persistence or repeated motion. This formation preserves the idea of continuous or repeated motion inherent in the root, abstracted as a noun.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In biblical usage, מַשָּׁק appears in poetic and figurative contexts (e.g., Isaiah 33:4), often describing the movement of people, animals, or objects in swift motion, such as plunderers rushing to and fro. In these contexts, the term conveys more than mere running; it may include the ideas of bustling activity, rapid traversal, or streaming motion. The term is not common in the Hebrew Bible and occurs in expressive, literary passages. English translations vary, often using 'rush,' 'running,' 'stream,' or similar terms, each capturing only facets of the original's nuance. The root שָׁקַק generally implies energetic, repeated movement, distinguishing מַשָּׁק from words for simple or single running (such as רוּץ, 'to run'). Over time, the sense of rapid, bustling, or flowing movement remained, but the word has not survived into later Hebrew or post-biblical usage.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from שָׁקַק; a traversing, i.e. rapid motion; running to and fro.
Bantu Hebrew
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+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שׁקק (sh-q-q) — to run, rush, surge, flow
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4944-01 |
כְּ/מַשַּׁ֥ק | kemashaq | HR/Ncmsc |
as the devouring | like a surge of | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4944-01 |
Isaiah 33:4 | כְּ/מַשַּׁ֥ק | kemashaq | HR/Ncmsc |
as the devouring | like a surge of |