מִקְשֶׁה
𐤌𐤒𐤔𐤄
miqsheh
H4748 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A structure formed by beating or hammering into a single piece, especially referring to objects crafted from metal without soldering or joining—such as the beaten lampstand (menorah) or cherubim for the Ark. The term also refers to something shaped through this process (i.e., a hammered or beaten work of metal) and, rarely, to a curl or ringlet (of hair), describing a coiled or compacted form.
Semantic Range
hammered work, beaten metalwork, object made from a single hammered piece, compacted or coiled form, tightly curled hair
Root / Etymology
From the root קָשָׁה (q-sh-h), meaning 'to be hard, difficult, severe.' The noun מִקְשֶׁה derives from the idea of something made hard or compact, specifically produced by hammering metal into a united form rather than by casting or joining pieces. The form reflects the intensive pattern (miqtal), yielding a product resulting from the act of hardening or compacting.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, מִקְשֶׁה most frequently describes how certain sacred objects (notably the menorah in Exodus 25:31 and the cherubim in Exodus 25:18) were to be constructed: hammered or beaten from a single solid piece of gold, not assembled from separate components. This construction method was significant in the ritual and symbolic context of Israelite worship, emphasizing unity and craftsmanship. In post-exilic and later Hebrew, the term is rarely used, but when it appears in reference to hair (such as in Song of Songs 5:11), it describes a coiled or dense, tightly curled form, drawing on the concept of compactness and hardness. English translations sometimes obscure the technique involved (e.g., rendering as 'of one piece'), missing the craftsmanship the Hebrew term signals. The word is closely related to the root קָשָׁה ('to be hard'), but its use is specialized, not referring simply to hardness but to the process and result of hammering metalwork or, metaphorically, of tightly curled hair.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from קָשָׁה in the sense of knotting up round and hard; something turned (rounded), i.e. a curl (of tresses); [idiom] well (set) hair.
Bantu Hebrew
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+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
קשׁה (q-sh-h) — hardness, severity, difficulty
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4748-01 |
מִקְשֶׁה֙ | miqesheh | HNcmsa |
baldness | hammered piece | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4748-01 |
Isaiah 3:24 | מִקְשֶׁה֙ | miqesheh | HNcmsa |
baldness | hammered piece |