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עֲמַשְׁסַי

𐤏𐤌𐤔𐤎𐤉

Amashesay

H6023 noun

SILEX Entry

Root עמס to carry, to bear, to load

Definition

Amashsai is a personal name designating an individual within the Israelite community; specifically, it refers to a figure identified as a descendant of Azareel, who played a role in post-exilic Jerusalem. The name itself most likely bears the sense of 'Yahweh has borne' or 'Yahweh has carried (a burden),' reflecting the formation from the verbal root, with a theophoric suffix. In biblical usage, it applies only as a proper name, not as a common noun or adjective.

Semantic Range

proper name of an Israelite priest; possible implied meaning 'Yahweh has borne' or 'has carried (a burden)'

Root / Etymology

Root: עָמַס (ʿ-m-s), meaning 'to carry, load, bear a burden.' The form עֲמַשְׁסַי appears to be a noun of person bearing a third person singular pronominal suffix ("he has carried") with a possible theophoric element implied or omitted. The precise morphologic development is somewhat uncertain, but the base meaning derives from the sense of bearing or carrying a burden. The name likely means 'Yahweh has borne' or 'has carried' (a burden), aligning with naming conventions for expressing trust in divine aid.

Historical & Contextual Notes

The name עֲמַשְׁסַי appears only in Nehemiah 11:13, within a genealogical and civic roster associated with the post-exilic reoccupation of Jerusalem. The individual is listed among the priests and described as a son (descendant) of Azareel. The name follows a common pattern of Hebrew theophoric or action-oriented names, often expressing what God has done, though the divine name is not explicit here. English translations typically render the name as "Amashsai" or, following transliteration traditions, sometimes as "Amashai." The traditional gloss as 'burdensome' does not reflect usage, as this is solely a personal name without adjectival or abstract connotation. There is no evidence that the word ever functioned outside of a proper name context in the Hebrew Bible. The figure identified by this name should not be retroactively equated with "Jews" in the modern or later religious sense; in Nehemiah, he is an Israelite priest residing in Jerusalem after the return from Babylonian exile.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

probably from עָמַס; burdensome; Amashsay, an Israelite; Amashai.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

עמס (ʿ-m-s) — to carry, to bear, to load

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4614 מַעֲמָסָה burdensomeness
H5986 עָמוֹס Amos
H6006 עָמַס loaded-down ones
H6007 עֲמַסְיָה Yah Has Borne
H6021 עֲמָשָׂא Burden-Bearer

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H6023-01 וַ/עֲמַשְׁסַ֧י vaamashesay HC/Np and Amashsai Yahweh has borne 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H6023-01 Nehemiah 11:13 וַ/עֲמַשְׁסַ֧י vaamashesay HC/Np and Amashsai Yahweh has borne
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