מָשַׁשׁ (ma.shash)
ma.shash
to feel
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 8 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb mashash describes the physical act of feeling or groping, often in darkness or without sight. It appears eight times in the Old Testament, primarily in Genesis and Job, to depict people searching for something tangible by touch alone. The word captures a sense of uncertainty, where vision is absent and the hands must work to locate what is needed.
In Genesis 24:21, Abraham’s servant watches Rebekah as she moves quickly, and the text says he “groped” (mashash) to understand her actions, highlighting a moment of cautious observation. Similarly, in Job 5:14, the wicked are described as stumbling in the daytime, groping as if in the night, emphasizing their lack of direction and clarity. The verb can also imply searching through something, as when one feels over an object or area.
This word is not used for confident exploration but for tentative, often desperate, attempts to find footing or truth in unclear circumstances. It reminds readers that sometimes understanding comes slowly, through careful feeling rather than sudden insight.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word mashash describes the physical act of feeling or groping, often in darkness or without sight. It appears eight times in the Old Testament, primarily in Genesis and Job, to depict people searching for something tangible by touch alone. The word captures a sense of uncertainty, where vision is absent and the hands must work to locate what is needed.
In Genesis 24:21, Abraham’s servant watches Rebekah as she moves quickly, and the text says he “groped” (mashash) to understand her actions, highlighting a moment of cautious observation. Similarly, in Job 5:14, the wicked are described as stumbling in the daytime, groping as if in the night, emphasizing their lack of direction and clarity.
This word reminds readers that sometimes understanding comes slowly, through careful feeling rather than sudden insight. When life feels unclear, we can trust that God sees us even when we cannot see our way forward. His guidance remains steady, offering hope and peace in moments of confusion.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 8 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- they grope2×
- you have searched1×
- so/ they may feel1×
- he will feel/ me1×
- he gropes1×
- groping1×
- and/ he searched1×
- and/ he felt/ him1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מִשַּׁ֣שְׁתָּ1×
- מְמַשֵּׁ֣שׁ1×
- יְמֻשֵּׁ֙/נִי֙1×
- יְמַשֵּׁ֤שׁ1×
- יְמַֽשְׁשׁוּ\־1×
- יְֽמַשְׁשׁ֥וּ1×
- וַ/יְמֻשֵּׁ֑/הוּ1×
- וַ/יְמַשֵּׁ֥שׁ1×
- וְ/יָמֵ֖שׁ1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 27:22
Jacob went near to Isaac his father. He felt him, and said, “The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.”
This verse shows Jacob physically feeling Isaac to confirm his identity, highlighting the tension between deception and divine providence.
-
Exodus 10:21
Yahweh said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.”
Here, darkness is so thick it can be felt, illustrating the severity of God's judgment on Egypt through sensory deprivation.
-
Job 5:14
They meet with darkness in the day time, and grope at noonday as in the night.
The image of gropeing at noonday emphasizes total disorientation, showing how spiritual blindness leads to futile efforts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does mashash mean in the Bible?
Where does mashash appear most often?
How is mashash different from other words for seeking?
Every Occurrence (8 verses across 4 books)
Genesis 4 verses
What if my father touches me? I will seem to him as a deceiver, and I would bring a curse on myself, and not a…
Genesis 27:22Jacob went near to Isaac his father. He felt him, and said, “The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of…
Genesis 31:34Now Rachel had taken the teraphim, put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat on them. Laban felt around all the tent, but…
Genesis 31:37Now that you have felt around in all my stuff, what have you found of all your household stuff? Set it here before my…