מִשְׂפָּח (mis.pach)
mis.pach
bloodshed
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 mis.pach refers to the act or result of shedding blood, specifically describing it as an outpouring. Rather than focusing on the violence of the killing itself, the word emphasizes the volume and waste of life, evoking the image of blood flowing freely like a spilled liquid.
This term appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, in Isaiah 5:7. The prophet uses it to describe why God’s vineyard has produced wild grapes instead of good fruit. The text states that Israel expected justice, but saw mis.pach; they looked for righteousness, but heard a cry for help. Here, the word captures the social collapse and moral failure that lead to innocent suffering.
Translators often render this as "bloodshed," which conveys the gravity of the situation. The unique usage highlights how systemic injustice results in the violent loss of life, serving as a stark warning against oppression within the community.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word mis.pach paints a vivid picture of blood flowing freely, like water spilled from a broken vessel. It does not merely describe an act of killing, but rather the sheer volume and waste of life that results when justice fails. In Isaiah 5:7, this term highlights how systemic oppression leads to innocent suffering, turning what should be a community of righteousness into a place of distress.
This imagery reminds us that God cares deeply about how we treat one another. When leaders or systems ignore the cry of the vulnerable, they invite this kind of chaotic outpouring. It is a sobering call to examine our own communities and workplaces, asking whether we are fostering fairness or allowing harm to go unchecked.
May we strive to be people who protect the innocent and speak up for those who cannot defend themselves. By pursuing justice in our daily lives, we reflect the heart of God and help prevent such waste from occurring around us.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- bloodshed1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מִשְׂפָּ֔ח1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 5:7
For the vineyard of Yahweh of Armies is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant. He looked for justice, but behold, oppression, for righteousness, but behold, a cry of distress.
This verse uses mis.pach to contrast Israel's expectation of righteousness with the reality of oppression, showing how social collapse leads to innocent suffering.