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מְשׁוּגָה

𐤌𐤔𐤅𐤂𐤄

mᵉshûwgâh

H4879 noun

SILEX Entry

Root שגה to err, to stray, to go astray

Definition

A mistake or error, typically denoting a wandering from the correct path, both in a literal and metaphorical sense. The term refers to instances of going astray, deviation from proper conduct or correctness, and may indicate error of judgment, unintentional wrongdoing, or misguided action. In the singular, it often points to a specific act or state of error rather than a habitual failing.

Semantic Range

mistake, error, inadvertent sin, unintentional fault, going astray, wandering from the correct path

Root / Etymology

From an unused root presumed related to the pattern שׁגה (sh-g-h), which conveys the sense of wandering, erring, or straying. While the exact root is unattested in this nominal formation, it is closely related lexically to שְׁגוּגָה (shegāgâ, 'unintentional sin' or 'inadvertent error'), suggesting an underlying shared semantic of deviation or mistake.

Historical & Contextual Notes

מְשׁוּגָה appears rarely in the Hebrew Bible. It is attested in Psalm 19:13 to denote sin or error as a deviation from correct behavior, positioned alongside more overt acts (e.g., intentional rebellion or transgression), indicating a distinction between deliberate offense and involuntary error. The term's semantics overlap with related words like שְׁגוּגָה, but מְשׁוּגָה tends toward the more general sense of error or mistake, not specifically limited to ritual or legal contexts. English translations often render it as 'error' or 'fault,' though these may not fully capture the original range of wandering or straying implied by the term. The concept reflects the Israelite legal and moral understanding that not all failings are intentional and that unintentional errors also merit address. In later Hebrew, the root שׁגה gives rise to verb forms with similar senses ('to err,' 'to go astray'). There is no evidence of a shift in meaning between monarchic and later periods, given the word's rarity.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

lemma מְשׁוּגָּה extra dagesh, corrected to מְשׁוּגָה; from an unused root meaning to stray; mistake; error.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

שגה (sh-g-h) — to err, to stray, to go astray

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4870 מִשְׁגֶּה inadvertent error
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
H4879-01 מְשׁוּגָתִֽ/י meshugati HNcfsc/Sp1cs my error my straying 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H4879-01 Job 19:4 מְשׁוּגָתִֽ/י meshugati HNcfsc/Sp1cs my error my straying
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