מְסוּכָה (me.su.khah)
me.su.khah
hedge
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 mesukkah refers to a protective barrier, specifically a hedge or fence constructed from thorny bushes or dense vegetation. In ancient agricultural contexts, such barriers were essential for keeping wild animals away from crops and livestock, serving as a natural defense line around fields or vineyards.
This word appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, in Micah 7:4. The prophet uses it metaphorically to describe the collapse of social order. He notes that even the most reliable protection—the "hedge" of upright citizens—has vanished, leaving the community vulnerable to corruption and violence. The image suggests that when moral integrity disappears, society loses its natural safeguard against chaos.
Translators typically render mesukkah as "hedge," preserving the concrete agricultural imagery. This single occurrence highlights how physical security in daily life was understood as a symbol of spiritual and social stability. The absence of such a hedge signifies total exposure to danger.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word mesukkah describes a protective barrier made of thorny bushes, used in ancient times to keep wild animals away from crops and livestock. In Micah 7:4, this image is turned upside down. The prophet says the most upright person is worse than a thorn hedge. This means that even our best defenses have failed. When moral integrity disappears, society loses its natural safeguard against chaos.
For your faith, this reminds us that human protection is fragile. We often rely on our own strength or the goodness of others to keep us safe. But when those fail, we are left exposed. This word invites you to look beyond temporary shields. It points to a deeper need for divine security that does not collapse when people fall short.
Even in times of confusion and vulnerability, there is hope. The Bible shows us that God remains steady when human structures crumble. You can trust in a protection that no thorn or fence can replace. This assurance offers peace when the world feels unstable and uncertain.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- more than/ a thorn hedge1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מִ/מְּסוּכָ֑ה1×
Key Verses
-
Micah 7:4
The best of them is like a brier. The most upright is worse than a thorn hedge. The day of your watchmen, even your visitation, has come; now is the time of their confusion.
This verse uses 'thorn hedge' to show how the collapse of moral integrity leaves society completely exposed to danger.