מִשְׁקָל (mish.qal)
mish.qal
weight
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 40 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun mishqal refers to weight, specifically in the sense of something measured or estimated by its heaviness. It appears frequently in the Old Testament when describing valuable materials like gold, silver, and bronze. The word highlights precision, indicating that value was determined not just by appearance but by exact measurement.
A striking example occurs in 2 Kings 25:16, where the brass from Solomon’s temple pillars is described as having no weight because it was so abundant. This usage shows how mishqal can emphasize quantity through the impossibility of measurement. Similarly, in 1 Chronicles 22:3, David notes that there is no weight for the vast amount of materials prepared for the temple, reinforcing the idea of overwhelming abundance.
The term also appears in legal and ritual contexts, such as Leviticus 19:35, where it commands honest weights and measures. This connects mishqal to fairness and integrity in trade. Its root relates to lightness or heaviness, underscoring the physical reality of weight as a standard for justice and value.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word mishqal points to the physical reality of weight, grounding value in something measurable rather than merely visible. In ancient markets and temple workshops, this term ensured that gold, silver, and bronze were assessed with precision. It reminds us that integrity matters in how we measure our lives and treat others. Fairness is not an abstract ideal but a practical standard applied to everyday transactions.
Scripture uses mishqal to highlight both honest trade and overwhelming abundance. In Leviticus 19:35, God commands just weights, linking commercial honesty to spiritual faithfulness. Conversely, passages like 1 Kings 7:47 describe temple vessels so numerous that their total weight could not be determined. This shift from precise measurement to boundless quantity shows how God’s provision often exceeds our ability to calculate it.
For your daily walk, this word invites you to value transparency and trust in God’s sufficient supply. When you face decisions about fairness or resources, remember that God sees the true weight of your intentions. You can rest in the knowledge that His grace is not limited by human scales, offering peace beyond what any balance can hold.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 40 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- weight/ its14×
- [the] weight of7×
- weight6×
- by/ weight5×
- by <the>/ weight2×
- and/ [the] weight of2×
- and/ [the] weight2×
- weight/ their1×
- weight of1×
- the/ weight1×
- in/ weight/ its1×
- in <the>/ weight1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מִשְׁקָלָ/הּ֒12×
- מִשְׁקַ֣ל4×
- מִשְׁקָ֔ל3×
- מִשְׁקַ֥ל2×
- בַּ/מִּשְׁקָ֑ל2×
- בְּ/מִשְׁקָל֙2×
- בְּ/מִשְׁקָ֖ל2×
- מִשְׁקָלָֽ/ם\׃1×
- מִשְׁקָל֔/וֹ1×
- מִשְׁקָל֑/וֹ1×
- מִשְׁקָֽל\׃1×
- מִשְׁקָ֛ל1×
Key Verses
-
Leviticus 19:35
“‘You shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in measures of length, of weight, or of quantity.
This verse establishes mishqal as a divine standard for justice, requiring honest weights in judgment and trade.
-
Genesis 24:22
As the camels had finished drinking, the man took a golden ring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold,
Here the term specifies the exact heaviness of Rebekah’s gifts, showing how weight confirmed the value and sincerity of the dowry.