מַחְסוֹר (mach.sor)
mach.sor
need
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 12 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun machsor describes a state of need or lack, often referring to the specific things required for survival. It appears twelve times in the Hebrew Bible, with a notable concentration in Proverbs and Deuteronomy. The word captures both the abstract condition of poverty and the concrete reality of lacking basic necessities.
Its usage frequently highlights social responsibility. In Proverbs 19:17, for example, helping the poor is linked to lending to the Lord, framing aid as a response to machsor. Similarly, Deuteronomy 15:8 commands generosity toward those experiencing this need, ensuring they lack nothing.
The term underscores the tangible gap between what one has and what one needs. It is not merely an emotional state but a material deficit that calls for practical intervention. This focus on physical provision distinguishes it from words describing spiritual emptiness, grounding the concept in daily life and community care.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word machsor points to a tangible gap between what we have and what we require for survival. It is not an abstract feeling of emptiness, but a concrete reality of lacking basic necessities like food, shelter, or clothing. When Scripture uses this term, it often highlights the social responsibility of the community to address these material deficits directly.
For your faith life, this word invites you to see practical care as a spiritual act. Helping someone in machsor is not just charity; it is a response to God's own heart for the vulnerable. As seen in Proverbs 28:27, those who give to the poor do not lack, suggesting that generosity opens us to God's provision rather than depleting our resources.
This understanding grounds your daily interactions in compassion. Whether you are able to offer significant help or simply a kind word, recognizing machsor in others allows you to participate in God's care for His creation. It reminds us that true security comes not from hoarding, but from trusting God enough to share what we have with those who need it most.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 12 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- to/ poverty4×
- [is] lack of2×
- poverty1×
- lack/ your1×
- lack/ his1×
- and/ poverti<es>/ your1×
- and/ lack/ your1×
- [is] lack1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- לְ/מַחְסֽוֹר\׃4×
- מַחְסוֹרְ/ךָ֖1×
- מַחְסֹר֔/וֹ1×
- מַחְס֖וֹר1×
- מַחְס֔וֹר1×
- מַחְס֑וֹר1×
- מַ֭חְסוֹר1×
- וּ֝/מַחְסֹרֶ֗י/ךָ1×
- וּ֝/מַחְסֹֽרְ/ךָ֗1×
Key Verses
-
Deuteronomy 15:8
but you shall surely open your hand to him, and shall surely lend him sufficient for his need, which he lacks.
This verse commands active generosity by requiring the lender to provide sufficient resources to meet the specific need, ensuring the borrower lacks nothing essential.
-
Proverbs 28:27
One who gives to the poor has no lack; but one who closes his eyes will have many curses.
Here the word appears in a promise that those who give to the poor will not experience lack themselves, linking generosity with divine provision.
-
Judges 19:20
The old man said, “Peace be to you! Just let me supply all your needs, but don’t sleep in the street.”
The host offers to supply all needs, using the concept of machsor to describe the comprehensive care required for guests in a dangerous journey.