מַשָּׁאוֹן
𐤌𐤔𐤀𐤅𐤍
mashshâʼôwn
H4860 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A state or act of deception, treachery, or false dealing; refers to willful misleading, duplicity, or concealment of intentions for gain or harm. It may denote deliberate deceit or pretense in speech or action.
Semantic Range
deceit, deception, dissimulation, treachery, false dealing, duplicity, pretense
Root / Etymology
From the root נשה (נ-ש-ה), meaning 'to deceive, beguile, lead astray.' The noun form מַשָּׁאוֹן is a derivative formation expressing the abstract concept or result of this action—namely, 'deceit' or 'treachery.' There is some debate as to whether the root implies primarily financial or general deception; however, textual contexts suggest a broader meaning encompassing various forms of duplicity.
Historical & Contextual Notes
This term occurs rarely in the Hebrew Bible, found notably in Job 13:7, where it is used in the context of accusing friends of speaking falsely for God. Its usage is more abstract than concrete, typically pointing to the act or environment of misleading speech or behavior. While English translations may render it as 'deceit' or 'falsehood,' the term encompasses a specific nuance of hidden intent and calculated dishonesty, different from other Hebrew words for 'lie' (שקר, כָּזָב). In the late monarchic or exilic/post-exilic periods, distinctions between terms for deception sharpened, with מַשָּׁאוֹן used for serious accusations of duplicity related to intent rather than simply to false statements. In later Jewish Greek translations, terms like ἀπάτη ('deceit') are employed, but modern use of 'dissimulation' as in some translations can understate the word's weight in a biblical legal or ethical context.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from נָשָׁא; dissimulation; deceit.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
נשה (n-š-h) — to deceive, to lead astray, to beguile
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3449 | יִשִּׁיָּה | And Yahweh-will-lend |
| H4519 | מְנַשֶּׁה | in Forget-causer |
| H4520 | מְנַשִּׁי | the Manassite |
| H4855 | מַשָּׁא | the loan |
| H4874 | מַשֶּׁה | debt-of |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4860-01 |
בְּ/מַשָּׁא֑וֹן | bemashaon | HR/Ncmsa |
by deceit | in treachery | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4860-01 |
Proverbs 26:26 | בְּ/מַשָּׁא֑וֹן | bemashaon | HR/Ncmsa |
by deceit | in treachery |