מַשָּׂא (mas.sa)
mas.sa
burden; oracle
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 55 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun mas.sa carries two distinct meanings that share a root idea of weight: a physical load and a prophetic message. In its literal sense, it refers to a burden carried on the back or a tribute paid to a ruler. This usage appears in historical narratives where leaders demand heavy taxes from subject peoples, emphasizing the tangible pressure placed upon them.
More significantly for biblical theology, mas.sa describes an oracle or pronouncement from God. Here, the "weight" is metaphorical; the message is not light entertainment but a serious, authoritative decree that demands attention. Prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah use this term to introduce judgments or warnings, framing the divine word as something substantial and unavoidable that bears down on the listener’s conscience.
This dual usage highlights how ancient Israelites viewed communication. A true prophetic utterance was not merely spoken words but a heavy responsibility carried by the prophet and delivered to the people. The term reminds readers that biblical prophecy is often presented as a weighty truth that cannot be ignored, whether it concerns political tribute or spiritual accountability.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word mas.sa reminds us that truth carries weight. In the Old Testament, it describes both a physical load and a prophetic oracle. When prophets spoke for God, they were not sharing light entertainment. They were delivering a message that bore down on the conscience of the listener. This divine word was substantial, authoritative, and impossible to ignore.
We see this weight in the daily life of Israel too. The Levites carried heavy tabernacle parts, and leaders felt the pressure of governing a restless people. Moses even asked God why he had to bear the burden of all these complaints alone. These images show that responsibility is real and often difficult.
Yet there is hope in this heaviness. When God speaks, He does not leave us to carry the load by ourselves. In Numbers 11, God promises to share the Spirit with seventy elders so they can bear the burden with Moses. This shows that divine guidance provides strength for heavy responsibilities. We are never left to handle life's weight alone.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 55 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- [the] oracle of12×
- a burden6×
- the/ oracle5×
- [the] burden of5×
- carrying/ their4×
- a load3×
- the/ burden2×
- burden/ his2×
- [the] load of2×
- <into>/ a burden2×
- the/ lifting up1×
- oracles of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מַשָּׂ֖א16×
- מַשָּׂ֥א5×
- מַשָּׂ֣א3×
- מַשָּׂ֑א3×
- מַשָּׂאָֽ/ם\׃2×
- מַשָּׂאָ֔/ם2×
- מַשָּׂ֤א2×
- מַשָּׂ֗א2×
- מַשָּׂ֔א2×
- לְ/מַשָּֽׂא\׃2×
- הַ/מַּשָּׂ֣א2×
- הַ/מַּשָּׂ֖א2×
Key Verses
-
Numbers 11:11
Moses said to Yahweh, “Why have you treated your servant so badly? Why haven’t I found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me?
Moses uses this word to express the overwhelming pressure of leading the people, showing how human leaders feel the weight of responsibility.
-
Numbers 4:27
At the commandment of Aaron and his sons shall be all the service of the sons of the Gershonites, in all their burden and in all their service; and you shall appoint their duty to them in all their responsibilities.
This verse details the specific duties of the Gershonites, highlighting that serving God involved tangible, heavy physical labor.
-
Nehemiah 13:19
It came to pass that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut, and commanded that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. I set some of my servants over the gates, so that no burden should be brought in on the Sabbath day.
Nehemiah closes the gates to stop people from bringing burdens into Jerusalem on the Sabbath, linking this word to the violation of holy rest.