מַזָּלוֹת (maz.za.lah)
maz.za.lah
constellation
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun mazzaḥlōt refers to constellations, or groups of stars arranged in specific patterns. It appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, in 2 Kings 23:5, where King Josiah is described as removing idolatrous priests who offered sacrifices to these celestial bodies.
While the term literally means "constellations," some scholars suggest it may specifically denote the signs of the zodiac, reflecting the astrological practices present in ancient Judah at that time. The word highlights how star worship was not just a distant foreign custom but had taken root within Israel itself, leading Josiah to purge the temple courts and high places where such rituals occurred.
This single occurrence underscores the tension between exclusive devotion to Yahweh and the allure of cosmic religion. By erasing these practices, Josiah sought to restore proper worship, reminding readers that even the night sky, with its ordered beauty, was not to become an object of reverence or a source of guidance apart from God.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word mazzaḥlōt appears only once in Scripture, marking a specific moment when King Josiah cleared out idolatrous priests who worshipped the stars. This rare term reminds us that ancient Israel faced the same temptation we do today: looking to created things for guidance instead of the Creator. The night sky is beautiful, but it was never meant to be an object of reverence or a source of direction apart from God.
When Josiah removed these practices, he restored exclusive devotion to Yahweh. This history invites us to examine our own hearts. Are we seeking signs in the cosmos or wisdom in God’s word? True peace comes not from aligning with celestial patterns, but from trusting the One who set them in place.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ to the/ constellations1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וְ/לַ/מַּזָּל֔וֹת1×
Key Verses
-
II Kings 23:5
He got rid of the idolatrous priests whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah and in the places around Jerusalem; those also who burned incense to Baal, to the sun, to the moon, to the planets, and to all the army of the sky.
This verse identifies mazzaḥlōt as objects of idolatrous worship that Josiah actively removed to restore true devotion.