מַסְתֵּר (mas.ter)
mas.ter
hiding
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun mastēr describes the act or state of hiding. It appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, in Isaiah 53:3, where it characterizes the suffering servant as one who was despised and rejected by men.
In this specific context, the word conveys a profound sense of concealment. The servant is not merely physically absent but socially obscured, hidden from view and recognition by the very people he came to save. This usage highlights the depth of his humiliation and isolation during his ministry.
While the root suggests causing someone to hide, here it functions as a noun describing the resulting condition of being hidden. Translators typically render it as "hidden" or "despised," emphasizing the servant's lack of honor and visibility in the eyes of the world.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word mastēr appears just once in Scripture, anchoring us to Isaiah 53:3. It describes a state of being hidden or concealed, painting a picture of the suffering servant who was not only rejected but actively avoided by people. This is more than simple invisibility; it is a social obscuring where others turn their faces away, refusing to acknowledge his presence or worth.
For your faith, this offers a profound comfort. If the Messiah experienced such deep isolation and concealment, you are never alone in your own moments of feeling overlooked or misunderstood. Your struggles with loneliness or rejection do not mean God has forgotten you. Instead, they connect you to the very heart of Christ’s human experience.
When you feel hidden by circumstances or people, remember that this servant was fully known by God even while hidden from men. His obscurity was part of a greater purpose, and your current season of concealment is held securely in His sight. You are seen by Him, even when the world looks away.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ like/ a hiding of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וּ/כְ/מַסְתֵּ֤ר1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 53:3
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering and acquainted with disease. He was despised as one from whom men hide their face; and we didn’t respect him.
This verse uses mastēr to describe how people actively turned their faces away from the servant, emphasizing his social rejection and obscurity.