מָסַס (ma.sas)
ma.sas
to melt
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 16 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb masas describes the physical process of melting or dissolving, such as ice turning to water or wax yielding to heat. In the Old Testament, it appears sixteen times, often capturing a sudden loss of solidity. This literal sense frequently transitions into a metaphor for fear or weakness, where a person’s courage seems to liquefy and disappear under pressure.
A notable usage occurs in Joshua 2:9-11, where Rahab tells the Israelite spies that the inhabitants of Jericho have "melted" in fear upon hearing of God’s miracles. Here, masas conveys a psychological collapse so profound it feels physical. The word also appears in Psalms, such as Psalm 68:2, describing enemies vanishing like smoke or wax before the Lord’s presence.
This imagery highlights the power of divine intervention to dismantle human resistance. When applied to people, masas suggests that strength is not merely lost but actively dissolved by a greater force. Translators often render it as "melt," "faint," or "vanish," depending on whether the context emphasizes physical substance or emotional terror.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word masas paints a vivid picture of solidity giving way to fluidity. While it literally describes wax dissolving in heat or ice turning to water, the Old Testament writers used this image to describe a sudden shift in human courage. When fear takes hold, our resolve can feel like it is losing its shape, becoming soft and unsteady under pressure.
This imagery appears frequently when people face overwhelming odds. In Joshua 2:11, Rahab describes how the inhabitants of Jericho felt their hearts melt after hearing of God’s power. It was not just nervousness; it was a profound realization that human strength could not withstand divine authority. The physical sensation of melting captures how quickly confidence can vanish when confronted with something greater than ourselves.
For believers, this word offers a dual perspective. On one hand, it warns against letting fear dissolve our faith when challenges arise. On the other, it comforts us by showing that no obstacle is too solid for God to handle. Whether it is the mountains melting before the Lord in Psalm 97:5 or hearts softening in repentance, masas reminds us that what seems immovable can be transformed by His presence.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 16 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ it melted4×
- it will melt2×
- they melt1×
- they have made melt1×
- surely <melt>1×
- it will be melted1×
- he will melt1×
- as/ wastes away1×
- and/ worthless1×
- and/ they will melt away1×
- and/ they will melt1×
- and/ they dropped off1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וַ/יִּמַּ֣ס2×
- נָ֭מַסּוּ1×
- כִּ/מְסֹ֥ס1×
- יִמָּס\׃1×
- יִמָּ֑ס1×
- יִמַּ֥ס1×
- יִמַּ֛ס1×
- וַ/יִּמַּ֥סּוּ1×
- וַ/יִּמַּ֥ס1×
- וְ/נָמָֽס\׃1×
- וְ/נָמָ֑ס1×
- וְ/נָמַ֥סּוּ1×
Key Verses
-
Joshua 2:11
As soon as we had heard it, our hearts melted, and there wasn’t any more spirit in any man, because of you: for Yahweh your God, he is God in heaven above, and on earth beneath.
Rahab uses this word to describe the psychological collapse of Jericho’s leaders, linking their loss of courage directly to the recognition of Yahweh's sovereignty.
-
Psalms 97:5
The mountains melt like wax at the presence of Yahweh, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.
The psalmist employs cosmic imagery, stating that even mountains melt like wax before God, emphasizing His absolute power over creation.
-
Deuteronomy 1:28
Where are we going up? Our brothers have made our heart melt, saying, ‘The people are greater and taller than we. The cities are great and fortified up to the sky. Moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakim there!’”
The spies report that the Israelites' hearts melted due to fear of the giants, illustrating how intimidation can dissolve confidence in God's promise.
-
Micah 1:4
The mountains melt under him, and the valleys split apart like wax before the fire, like waters that are poured down a steep place.
Micah describes the mountains melting like wax before fire to depict the unstoppable advance of God’s judgment against sin.