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מַחְסוֹר

𐤌𐤇𐤎𐤅𐤓

machçôwr

H4270 noun

SILEX Entry

Root חסר to lack, to be without, to be incomplete, to miss out

Definition

A state or condition of lacking what is needed, particularly material goods or necessities; deficit, shortcoming, or want, especially poverty or neediness. Regularly indicates absence of sufficient means, especially for sustaining life, but may also refer more generally to deficiency or lack in non-material aspects.

Semantic Range

lack, want, need, deficiency, state of being impoverished, economic deprivation, shortfall of material goods, poverty, scarcity, absence of necessities

Root / Etymology

From the root חָסֵר (ḥ-s-r), meaning 'to lack,' 'to be without,' or 'to be in need.' מַחְסוֹר is a noun formation (often with the מַ־ prefix) indicating the state or condition of lacking or being deficient.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, מַחְסוֹר commonly appears in contexts describing literal poverty, deprivation, or shortages of food and material necessities (e.g., Deut 15:8; Prov 6:11). Occasionally, the term is paired with words denoting abundance or sufficiency, serving to frame social and economic contrasts within Israelite society (see Deut 15:4–8). While consistently referring to material lack, the term can also be used more abstractly for deficiency (cf. Psa 34:10). English translations often render it as 'poverty,' 'want,' or 'need,' but the nuance focuses on an objective state of shortfall, not always marked by destitution. Over time, particularly in post-exilic and later Hebrew, the semantic field of מַחְסוֹר narrows primarily to economic deprivation. The word should not be confused with related terms such as חֵסֵר (ḥēsēr, 'lacking') or אֶבְיוֹן (’evyôn, 'needy' or 'destitute'), which emphasize personal or social vulnerability rather than the state of lack itself. The form מַחְסֹר is a spelling variant equivalent in meaning.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or מַחְסֹר; from חָסֵר; deficiency; hence, impoverishment; lack, need, penury, poor, poverty, want.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

חסר (ḥ-s-r) — to lack, to be without, to be incomplete, to miss out

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2627 חַסִּיר deficient one
H2637 חָסֵר we lacked
H2638 חָסֵר in lack of
H2639 חֶסֶר in lack
H2640 חֹסֶר in lack of

Word Forms

6 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H4270-02 מַחְס֔וֹר machesor HNcmsc lack lack of 5
H4270-01 לְ/מַחְסֽוֹר lemachesor HR/Ncmsa to poverty for lack 4
H4270-05 וּ֝/מַחְסֹֽרְ/ךָ֗ umachesorekha HC/Ncmsc/Sp2ms and your need and your lack 1
H4270-04 מַחְסֹר֔/וֹ machesoro HNcmsc/Sp3ms for his need his lack 1
H4270-06 וּ֝/מַחְסֹרֶ֗י/ךָ umachesoreykha HC/Ncmpc/Sp2ms and-your-want and your lacks 1
H4270-03 מַחְסוֹרְ/ךָ֖ machesorekha HNcmsc/Sp2ms your needs your lack 1

Occurrences in Scripture

13 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H4270-04 Deuteronomy 15:8 מַחְסֹר֔/וֹ machesoro HNcmsc/Sp3ms for his need his lack
H4270-02 Judges 18:10 מַחְס֔וֹר machesor HNcmsc lack lack of
H4270-02 Judges 19:19 מַחְס֖וֹר machesor HNcmsc want lack of
H4270-03 Judges 19:20 מַחְסוֹרְ/ךָ֖ machesorekha HNcmsc/Sp2ms your needs your lack
H4270-02 Psalms 34:10 מַ֝חְס֗וֹר machesor HNcmsa lack lack of
H4270-05 Proverbs 6:11 וּ֝/מַחְסֹֽרְ/ךָ֗ umachesorekha HC/Ncmsc/Sp2ms and your need and your lack
H4270-01 Proverbs 11:24 לְ/מַחְסֽוֹר lemachesor HR/Ncmsa to poverty for lack
H4270-01 Proverbs 14:23 לְ/מַחְסֽוֹר lemachesor HR/Ncmsa to poverty for lack
H4270-01 Proverbs 21:5 לְ/מַחְסֽוֹר lemachesor HR/Ncmsa to-poverty for lack
H4270-02 Proverbs 21:17 מַ֭חְסוֹר machesor HNcmsa of lack lack of
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