מִשְׁגֶּה (H4870) — Hebrew Lexicon

מִשְׁגֶּה

𐤌𐤔𐤂𐤄

mishgeh

H4870 noun

SILEX Entry

Root שגה to err, stray, go astray, make a mistake

Definition

A mistake, error, or oversight; specifically, a deviation from correct action due to lapse, carelessness, or ignorance, not deliberate rebellion or willful sin. The term denotes an inadvertent or unconscious error, typically in behavior, judgment, or ritual observance.

Semantic Range

error, mistake, oversight, inadvertent offense, accidental misdeed, lapse, unintentional wrongdoing

Root / Etymology

From the root שגה (to err, stray, wander from the way, go astray by mistake). מִשְׁגֶּה is a feminine noun formation indicating the result or actuality of 'erring,' i.e., the concrete noun 'error' or 'mistake.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

מִשְׁגֶּה occurs only a few times in the Hebrew Bible (notably in Leviticus 5:18 and Numbers 15:25) and is often used with regard to unintentional violations, particularly of ritual or sacrificial laws. The concept is distinct from deliberate or defiant sin (e.g., פשע pesha‘ or חטא chata’ with deliberate intent) and focuses on guilt incurred without intent—highlighting the Torah’s concern for both motive and legal responsibility. In later post-biblical Hebrew, the substantive use of מִשְׁגֶּה as 'error or oversight' persists in legal and rabbinic contexts. English translations such as 'error' or 'mistake' generally capture the meaning for modern readers, but 'oversight' best reflects cases involving inadvertence. The Septuagint uses ἁμάρτημα (hamartēma, 'transgression, error'), but the nuance of non-deliberate misdeed can be lost in translation. No direct semantic overlap exists in biblical Hebrew between מִשְׁגֶּה and terms for intentional wrongdoing. The term is especially important in the context of sacrificial law, where the distinction between inadvertent and deliberate wrongdoing is legally significant for Israelites and, in later periods, for Judeans.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from שָׁגָה; an error; oversight.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

שגה (š-g-h) — to err, stray, go astray, make a mistake

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H4879	מְשׁוּגָה	my straying
H7681	שָׁגֶא	Erring-One
H7686	שָׁגָה	the straying ones
H7691	שְׁגִיאָה	missteps
H7692	שִׁגָּיוֹן	wandering-ode

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H4870-01`	מִשְׁגֶּ֖ה	mishegeh	`HNcmsa`	a mistake	inadvertent error	1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H4870-01`	Genesis 43:12	מִשְׁגֶּ֖ה	mishegeh	`HNcmsa`	a mistake	inadvertent error

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