מִשְׁקָל (H4948) — Hebrew Lexicon

מִשְׁקָל

𐤌𐤔𐤒𐤋

mishqâl

H4948 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A unit of weight or mass, or the act of weighing. 'משקל' refers both to the process of determining weight by a balance and to that which is weighed—the physical mass or designated amount. Its semantic range includes the abstract concept of 'weight' or 'heaviness' as well as concrete units of measurement (e.g., shekel, talent) within economic, cultic, and legal contexts.

Semantic Range

weight (the property of being heavy), weight as a unit of measure, act of weighing, standard of value or exchange, the determined amount weighed, the process of using balances

Root / Etymology

Rooted in שָׁקַל (שקל), meaning 'to weigh, to balance, to pay by weight.' The noun מִשְׁקָל is formed with the prefix 'מ' (mem), which often denotes a place or instrument of action, but here refers to the act or result of weighing—thus, 'weight' or 'that which is weighed.' The form is a standard noun pattern denoting abstract or concrete results of the root action.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, 'משקל' is a technical and economic term, most frequently occurring in passages related to trade, offerings, taxation, and legal weights. During the monarchic period, standardized weights and measures became crucial for temple offerings, commerce, and taxation. The term often appears alongside specific measures ('shekel of the sanctuary,' etc.) and is distinguished from terms for 'measure' of volume (e.g., 'אֵיפָה', 'bath'). In post-exilic texts, 'משקל' helps reflect more formalized economic systems. English translations usually render it as 'weight,' which is accurate, but modern readers should note that its range includes both abstract and concrete notions. The association with justice and equity (e.g., honest weights) highlights its social importance. In some later translation traditions, 'weight' could have legalistic or even metaphorical connotations (burden, significance), but in Biblical Hebrew usage these connotations are limited.

Translation Consistency

primary "weight" 29 occurrences

מִשְׁקָל primarily denotes the noun ‘weight’ — the property, a unit/amount, or the result of weighing. ‘Weight’ is the most frequent and natural English rendering, fits economic/cultic/legal contexts (unit or amount), and keeps consistency across all forms. A verb like ‘weigh’ would emphasize the action rather than the predominant noun sense.

Alternatives (20 occurrences):

"weighed amount of" (15x) "weight-of" (4x) "weighing" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from שָׁקַל; weight (numerically estimated); hence, weighing (the act); (full) weight.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

שקל (Asheqelon) — to weigh, to balance, to assess value by weight

Root שקל to weigh, to balance, to assess value by weight

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H4946	מִשְׁקוֹל	by weight-measure
H4949	מִשְׁקֶלֶת	plumb-weight
H8254	שָׁקַל	I will weigh out
H8255	שֶׁקֶל	by a sheqel-weight
H831	אַשְׁקְלוֹן	Ashkelon the Weighing-Place
H8625	תְּקַל	weighed

Word Forms

10 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`H4948-05`	מִשְׁקַ֣ל	misheqal	`HNcmsc`	weight	weighed amount of	weighed amount of	16
`H4948-06`	מִשְׁקָלָ/הּ֒	misheqalah	`HNcmsc/Sp3fs`	its weight	her weight	its weight	12
`H4948-02`	בְּ/מִשְׁקָ֔ל	bemisheqal	`HR/Ncmsa`	by weight	by weight	by weight	7
`H4948-01`	בַּ/מִּשְׁקָל֙	bamisheqal	`HRd/Ncmsa`	by weight	by the weight	in the weight	4
`H4948-09`	וּ/מִשְׁקָ֞ל	umisheqal	`HC/Ncmsa`	and-the-weight	and weight-of	and weight-of	4
`H4948-08`	מִשְׁקָל֑/וֹ	misheqalo	`HNcmsc/Sp3ms`	in weight	his weight	its weight	2
`H4948-03`	בְּ/מִשְׁקָל֑/וֹ	bemisheqalo	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms`	in its full weight	in his weight	in its weight	1
`H4948-04`	הַ/מִּשְׁקָ֖ל	hamisheqal	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the weight	the weight	the weight	1
`H4948-07`	מִשְׁקָלָֽ/ם	misheqalam	`HNcmsc/Sp3mp`	their weight	their weight	their weight	1
`H4948-10`	וּ/מִשְׁקָלָ֨/הּ	umisheqalah	`HC/Ncmsc/Sp3fs`	and its weight	and her weight	and her weight	1

Occurrences in Scripture

49 occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`H4948-08`	Genesis 24:22	מִשְׁקָל֑/וֹ	misheqalo	`HNcmsc/Sp3ms`	its weight	his weight	its weight
`H4948-07`	Genesis 24:22	מִשְׁקָלָֽ/ם	misheqalam	`HNcmsc/Sp3mp`	their weight	their weight	their weight
`H4948-03`	Genesis 43:21	בְּ/מִשְׁקָל֑/וֹ	bemisheqalo	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms`	in its full weight	in his weight	in its weight
`H4948-01`	Leviticus 19:35	בַּ/מִּשְׁקָ֖ל	bamisheqal	`HRd/Ncmsa`	in weight	by the weight	in the weight
`H4948-01`	Leviticus 26:26	בַּ/מִּשְׁקָ֑ל	bamisheqal	`HRd/Ncmsa`	by weight	by the weight	in the weight
`H4948-06`	Numbers 7:13	מִשְׁקָלָ/הּ֒	misheqalah	`HNcmsc/Sp3fs`	its weight	her weight	its weight
`H4948-06`	Numbers 7:19	מִשְׁקָלָ/הּ֒	misheqalah	`HNcmsc/Sp3fs`	its weight	her weight	its weight
`H4948-06`	Numbers 7:25	מִשְׁקָלָ/הּ֒	misheqalah	`HNcmsc/Sp3fs`	its weight	her weight	its weight
`H4948-06`	Numbers 7:31	מִשְׁקָלָ/הּ֒	misheqalah	`HNcmsc/Sp3fs`	its weight	her weight	its weight
`H4948-06`	Numbers 7:37	מִשְׁקָלָ/הּ֒	misheqalah	`HNcmsc/Sp3fs`	its weight	her weight	its weight
`H4948-06`	Numbers 7:43	מִשְׁקָלָ/הּ֒	misheqalah	`HNcmsc/Sp3fs`	its weight	her weight	its weight
`H4948-06`	Numbers 7:49	מִשְׁקָלָ/הּ֒	misheqalah	`HNcmsc/Sp3fs`	its weight	her weight	its weight
`H4948-06`	Numbers 7:55	מִשְׁקָלָ/הּ֒	misheqalah	`HNcmsc/Sp3fs`	its weight	her weight	its weight
`H4948-06`	Numbers 7:61	מִשְׁקָלָ/הּ֒	misheqalah	`HNcmsc/Sp3fs`	its weight	her weight	its weight
`H4948-06`	Numbers 7:67	מִשְׁקָלָ/הּ֒	misheqalah	`HNcmsc/Sp3fs`	shekels the weight	her weight	its weight
`H4948-06`	Numbers 7:73	מִשְׁקָלָ/הּ֒	misheqalah	`HNcmsc/Sp3fs`	its weight	her weight	its weight
`H4948-06`	Numbers 7:79	מִשְׁקָלָ/הּ֒	misheqalah	`HNcmsc/Sp3fs`	its weight	her weight	its weight
`H4948-08`	Joshua 7:21	מִשְׁקָל֔/וֹ	misheqalo	`HNcmsc/Sp3ms`	in weight	his weight	its weight
`H4948-05`	Judges 8:26	מִשְׁקַ֞ל	misheqal	`HNcmsc`	the weight	weighed amount of	weighed amount of
`H4948-09`	1 Samuel 17:5	וּ/מִשְׁקַל֙	umisheqal	`HC/Ncmsc`	and-weight	and weight-of	and weight-of
`H4948-10`	2 Samuel 12:30	וּ/מִשְׁקָלָ֨/הּ	umisheqalah	`HC/Ncmsc/Sp3fs`	and its weight	and her weight	and her weight
`H4948-09`	2 Samuel 21:16	וּ/מִשְׁקַ֤ל	umisheqal	`HC/Ncmsc`	and the weight of	and weight-of	and weight-of
`H4948-05`	2 Samuel 21:16	מִשְׁקַ֣ל	misheqal	`HNcmsc`	shekels	weighed amount of	weighed amount of
`H4948-05`	1 Kings 7:47	מִשְׁקַ֥ל	misheqal	`HNcmsc`	the weight	weighed amount of	weighed amount of
`H4948-05`	1 Kings 10:14	מִשְׁקַ֣ל	misheqal	`HNcmsc`	the weight	weighed amount of	weighed amount of
`H4948-05`	2 Kings 25:16	מִשְׁקָ֔ל	misheqal	`HNcmsa`	weight	weighed amount of	weighed amount of
`H4948-05`	Jeremiah 52:20	מִשְׁקָ֔ל	misheqal	`HNcmsa`	weight	weighed amount of	weighed amount of
`H4948-02`	Ezekiel 4:16	בְּ/מִשְׁקָ֖ל	bemisheqal	`HR/Ncmsa`	by weight	by weight	by weight
`H4948-05`	Ezekiel 5:1	מִשְׁקָ֖ל	misheqal	`HNcmsa`	for weighing	weighed amount of	for weighing
`H4948-05`	Job 28:25	מִשְׁקָ֑ל	misheqal	`HNcmsa`	weight	weighed amount of	weighed amount of
`H4948-05`	Ezra 8:30	מִשְׁקַ֛ל	misheqal	`HNcmsc`	the weight	weighed amount of	weighed amount of
`H4948-02`	Ezra 8:34	בְּ/מִשְׁקָ֖ל	bemisheqal	`HR/Ncmsa`	and by weight	by weight	by weight
`H4948-04`	Ezra 8:34	הַ/מִּשְׁקָ֖ל	hamisheqal	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the weight	the weight	the weight
`H4948-05`	1 Chronicles 20:2	מִשְׁקַ֣ל	misheqal	`HNcmsc`	weight	weighed amount of	weighed amount of
`H4948-05`	1 Chronicles 21:25	מִשְׁקָ֖ל	misheqal	`HNcmsa`	by weight	weighed amount of	weighed amount of
`H4948-05`	1 Chronicles 22:3	מִשְׁקָֽל	misheqal	`HNcmsa`	weight	weighed amount of	weighed amount of
`H4948-05`	1 Chronicles 22:14	מִשְׁקָ֔ל	misheqal	`HNcmsa`	weight	weighed amount of	weighed amount of
`H4948-01`	1 Chronicles 28:14	בַּ/מִּשְׁקָל֙	bamisheqal	`HRd/Ncmsa`	by weight	by the weight	in the weight
`H4948-02`	1 Chronicles 28:14	בְּ/מִשְׁקָ֔ל	bemisheqal	`HR/Ncmsa`	by weight	by weight	by weight
`H4948-09`	1 Chronicles 28:15	וּ/מִשְׁקָ֞ל	umisheqal	`HC/Ncmsa`	and-the-weight	and weight-of	and weight-of
`H4948-02`	1 Chronicles 28:15	בְּ/מִשְׁקַל	bemisheqal	`HR/Ncmsc`	by-weight	by weight	by weight
`H4948-02`	1 Chronicles 28:15	בְּ/מִשְׁקָל֙	bemisheqal-2	`HR/Ncmsa`	by-weight	by weight	by weight
`H4948-05`	1 Chronicles 28:16	מִשְׁקָ֛ל	misheqal	`HNcmsa`	weight	weighed amount of	weighed amount of
`H4948-02`	1 Chronicles 28:17	בְּ/מִשְׁקָל֙	bemisheqal	`HR/Ncmsa`	by weight	by weight	by weight
`H4948-02`	1 Chronicles 28:17	בְּ/מִשְׁקָ֖ל	bemisheqal-2	`HR/Ncmsa`	by weight	by weight	by weight
`H4948-01`	1 Chronicles 28:18	בַּ/מִּשְׁקָ֑ל	bamisheqal	`HRd/Ncmsa`	by-weight	by the weight	in the weight
`H4948-09`	2 Chronicles 3:9	וּ/מִשְׁקָ֛ל	umisheqal	`HC/Ncmsa`	and-the-weight	and weight-of	and weight-of
`H4948-05`	2 Chronicles 4:18	מִשְׁקַ֥ל	misheqal	`HNcmsc`	the weight	weighed amount of	weighed amount of
`H4948-05`	2 Chronicles 9:13	מִשְׁקַ֣ל	misheqal	`HNcmsc`	the weight	weighed amount of	weighed amount of

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