מַסֵּכָה (mas.se.khah)
mas.se.khah
liquid; veil
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 27 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun masskeh refers to something poured out or cast into a shape. In the Old Testament it primarily describes liquid offerings, such as wine or oil poured at an altar, but it also denotes molten metal used to create idols. This dual meaning highlights a sharp contrast in ancient Israelite worship: the fluid gift given to God versus the solid form made by human hands for false gods.
Lexical sources note that the word is linked to the root for pouring or melting. It appears frequently in Judges and Isaiah when condemning idolatry, where masskeh represents a cast image of a deity. For instance, Isaiah 40:19 mentions a craftsman casting a molten image, illustrating how the term captures both the material state and the final object.
The word also carries a secondary sense related to weaving or covering, though this usage is less common in biblical texts. Translators often render it as "molten image" or "drink offering" depending on context. This distinction underscores the biblical rejection of static idols in favor of dynamic, living worship.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word masskeh captures a striking contrast in ancient worship. It describes either a liquid offering poured out for God or a solid idol cast from metal by human hands. This distinction reminds us that true devotion is dynamic and alive, while false gods are static objects made by our own creativity.
When we encounter this term in Scripture, it challenges us to examine what we have 'cast' into shape with our lives. Do we offer the fluid gift of obedience and trust, or do we create rigid structures that replace reliance on God? The text invites us to reject the comfort of manufactured security.
This word calls us toward a faith that is active and responsive. Rather than resting in idols of silver or gold, we are invited to pour out our hearts in honest prayer. It is a call to worship the living God with everything we have, rather than settling for something we can control.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 27 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- molten metal6×
- and/ a molten image4×
- a molten image4×
- to/ a molten image2×
- the/ molten image2×
- and/ the/ molten images2×
- molten metal/ their1×
- molten images1×
- and/ the/ woven stuff1×
- and/ the/ blanket1×
- and/ molten images1×
- a libation1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מַסֵּכָ֖ה4×
- מַסֵּכָ֑ה3×
- מַסֵּכָ֔ה2×
- וּ/מַסֵּכָ֔ה2×
- וְ/הַ/מַּסֵּכָ֥ה2×
- הַ/מַּסֵּכָ֑ה2×
- מַסֵּכָֽה\׃1×
- מַסֵּכָ֨ה1×
- מַסֵּכַ֣ת1×
- מַסֵּכ֛וֹת1×
- מַסֵּֽכֹתָ/ם֙1×
- לְ/מַסֵּכָֽה\׃1×
Key Verses
-
Exodus 32:4
He received what they handed him, fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made it a molded calf. Then they said, “These are your gods, Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt.”
This verse establishes the immediate context of idolatry where the molten calf replaces the God who brought Israel out of Egypt.
-
Deuteronomy 9:16
I looked, and behold, you had sinned against Yahweh your God. You had made yourselves a molded calf. You had quickly turned away from the way which Yahweh had commanded you.
Moses uses this term to highlight the speed and seriousness of the people's sin in turning away from God's command.
-
Isaiah 42:17
“Those who trust in engraved images, who tell molten images, ‘You are our gods,’ will be turned back. They will be utterly disappointed.
The prophet warns that those who trust in these cast images will be turned back, showing the futility of relying on human-made gods.
-
Judges 17:4
When he restored the money to his mother, his mother took two hundred pieces of silver, and gave them to a silversmith, who made a carved image and a molten image out of it. It was in the house of Micah.
This occurrence illustrates how personal silver was used to create a private idol, showing the intimate nature of this sin in everyday life.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Hebrew word masskeh mean?
Why is this word important in the Bible?
How is masskeh different from other words for idols?
Every Occurrence (27 verses across 13 books)
Exodus 3 verses
He received what they handed him, fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made it a molded calf. Then they said,…
Exodus 32:8They have turned away quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made themselves a molded calf, and have…
Exodus 34:17“You shall make no cast idols for yourselves.