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מַס

𐤌𐤎

maç

H4522 noun

SILEX Entry

Root מסס to melt, dissolve, become faint

Definition

A compulsory levy imposed by an authority, usually in the form of conscripted labor or, less commonly, material tribute. The noun מַס refers specifically to a system of corvée—forced labor drafted by royal or governmental decree for state projects, such as building works and public infrastructure, and at times includes the provision of goods or a monetary tax. In certain contexts, it also denotes the population subjected to this conscription or the group obligated to provide corvée labor.

Semantic Range

burden, forced labor, conscripted service, corvée, levy, group drafted for forced labor, compulsory task or tax, tribute in rare cases

Root / Etymology

Root: מסס (m-s-s). The noun מַס is derived from the root מסס, which carries the primary sense of 'to melt, dissolve, become faint'—implying the exhausting or overwhelming effect of forced labor or heavy burdens. Though the original verbal root pertains to physical dissolution or melting, the nominal form came to denote the figurative 'burden' placed on a population via mandatory service or taxation.

Historical & Contextual Notes

מַס is used throughout the Hebrew Bible to describe a form of state-imposed labor rather than monetary tribute alone. Its implementation appears prominently under the monarchy, as in the labor levies imposed by King Solomon for building the temple and other public works (e.g., 1 Kings 4:6; 5:13). The term is distinct from מַכֵּס (makhes, 'customs', i.e., a commercial tax) and מִדָּה (middah, 'tribute'), as מַס specifically connotes service of labor and is often associated with internal governmental projects, not merely the extraction of resources from foreign peoples. Over time, especially during the transition from a tribal to a centralized monarchy, the institution of מַס became a source of tension leading to social discontent (e.g., 1 Kings 12:4). In later periods, especially during foreign dominion, the association of מַס with oppressive obligations continued but was sometimes broadened to include monetary tax. English translations frequently use 'tribute', 'levy', or 'task', but these do not always capture the specific sense of conscripted labor inherent in the term. In English translations, 'tribute' may be misleading, as it often refers to either forced labor or actual tribute (goods or money) given to a superior power, but מַס centrally refers to corvée. Notably, מַס sometimes refers to Israelite internal policies and sometimes to levies imposed by foreign powers after conquest.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or מִס; from מָסַס; properly, a burden (as causing to faint), i.e. a tax in the form of forced labor; discomfited, levy, task(-master), tribute(-tary).

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

מסס (m-s-s) — to melt, dissolve, become faint

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4523 מָס for corvée-levy
H4530 מִסָּה overflow of
H4549 מָסַס they caused to melt
H8557 תֶּמֶס melting dissolution

Word Forms

5 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H4522-02 לָ/מַ֖ס lamas HR/Ncmsa forced labor to corvée levy 9
H4522-01 הַ/מַּ֑ס hamas HTd/Ncmsa the forced labor the corvée levy 7
H4522-03 לְ/מַס lemas HR/Ncmsc a levy of for corvée-labor of 4
H4522-04 מַ֖ס mas HNcmsa a levy corvée levy 2
H4522-05 מִסִּ֔ים misim HNcmpa forced labor corvée levies 1

Occurrences in Scripture

23 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H4522-03 Genesis 49:15 לְ/מַס lemas HR/Ncmsc a tribute for corvée-labor of
H4522-05 Exodus 1:11 מִסִּ֔ים misim HNcmpa forced labor corvée levies
H4522-02 Deuteronomy 20:11 לָ/מַ֖ס lamas HR/Ncmsa for tribute to corvée levy
H4522-03 Joshua 16:10 לְ/מַס lemas HR/Ncmsc for tribute for corvée-labor of
H4522-02 Joshua 17:13 לָ/מַ֑ס lamas HR/Ncmsa to forced labor to corvée levy
H4522-02 Judges 1:28 לָ/מַ֑ס lamas HR/Ncmsa to tribute to corvée levy
H4522-02 Judges 1:30 לָ/מַֽס lamas HR/Ncmsa forced labor to corvée levy
H4522-02 Judges 1:33 לָ/מַֽס lamas HR/Ncmsa for forced labor to corvée levy
H4522-02 Judges 1:35 לָ/מַֽס lamas HR/Ncmsa forced labor to corvée levy
H4522-01 2 Samuel 20:24 הַ/מַּ֑ס hamas HTd/Ncmsa the forced labor the corvée levy
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