מַסֶּ֫כֶת (mas.se.khet)
mas.se.khet
weave
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun massethet refers specifically to the web of unfinished material stretched on a loom. It does not describe finished cloth or a completed garment, but rather the raw, interlaced threads in the midst of creation. This precise imagery appears only twice in the Hebrew Bible, both within the book of Judges.
In these passages, the word highlights the tension between potential and completion. The sources define it as a "web of unfinished stuff," emphasizing that the textile exists but lacks its final form. By focusing on this intermediate state, the text draws attention to the process of weaving itself rather than the end product.
The rarity of massethet makes its usage in Judges particularly striking. It serves as a concrete metaphor for something in progress, capturing the fragility and possibility inherent in raw materials before they are bound into a stable structure. This specific technical term grounds abstract concepts in the tangible reality of ancient craft.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word massethet describes the web of threads stretched across a loom before weaving is complete. It captures a moment of potential, where raw materials are interlaced but not yet finished. This image reminds us that God often works in the process, not just the outcome. In our own lives, we may feel like unfinished threads, caught between who we were and who we are becoming.
Samson’s story illustrates this tension vividly. His strength was tied to his hair, woven into the loom’s fabric, yet he remained unaware of its fragility until it was too late. Similarly, our spiritual growth involves moments of vulnerability and hidden work. We trust that even when we feel exposed or incomplete, God is weaving something meaningful through us.
This word invites patience with ourselves and others. Growth takes time, and the loom does not rush. Instead of rushing to judgment or despair, we can rest in the truth that every thread has purpose. The process itself reveals character, builds resilience, and prepares us for what comes next. May we find peace in the weaving, trusting that God sees the whole picture even when we see only fragments.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ web3×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הַ/מַּסָּֽכֶת\׃2×
- הַ/מַּסֶּכֶת1×
Key Verses
-
Judges 16:13
Delilah said to Samson, “Until now, you have mocked me and told me lies. Tell me with what you might be bound.” He said to her, “If you weave the seven locks of my head with the fabric on the loom.”
Delilah’s request to weave Samson’s hair highlights how something seemingly harmless can become a tool of betrayal when misused.
-
Judges 16:14
She fastened it with the pin, and said to him, “The Philistines are on you, Samson!” He awakened out of his sleep, and plucked away the pin of the beam and the fabric.
The removal of the pin and fabric shows how quickly strength can be undone when trust is broken, emphasizing the fragility of unfinished work.