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מְשׂוּכָה

𐤌𐤔𐤅𐤊𐤄

mᵉsûwkâh

H4881 noun

SILEX Entry

Root שׂוּךְ to entwine, to hedge about, to enclose

Definition

A structure formed of thorns, bushes, or other barriers, serving primarily as a protective enclosure or partition, especially around fields or vineyards to exclude animals or intruders. The term most often denotes a physical hedge or fence made of brambles or thorny plants, but can also be used metaphorically for boundaries or protective limits.

Semantic Range

thorn hedge, protective fence, enclosure made of thorns or bushes, boundary marker, metaphorical protective boundary

Root / Etymology

From the Hebrew root שׂוּךְ (sūkh), meaning 'to entwine, fence in, hedge about.' The noun מְשׂוּכָה (mesukhah) is a feminine singular form meaning an object that results from fencing or enclosing, specifically a hedge or barrier, typically constructed from intertwined branches or thorns.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In ancient Israelite agricultural practice, מְשׂוּכָה referred to the traditional method of protecting vineyards, gardens, or cultivated fields through the placement of woven or piled thorn bushes, forming a 'living' fence. This was a practical, cost-effective barrier suitable for keeping out wild animals such as foxes or small livestock. The term appears in passages such as Isaiah 5:5 and Job 1:10, where it emphasizes protection, containment, or—in prophetic texts—vulnerability when removed. It is distinct from גָּדֵר (gader), which usually means a stone wall. Later translation traditions occasionally rendered the term as 'fence' or 'enclosure,' and, in post-biblical literature, comparable practices persisted. Use of 'hedge' in English translations generally reflects the physical structure but may not always convey the specific form (thorny, natural barrier) employed by ancient Israelite society.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or מְשֻׂכָה; from שׂוּךְ; a hedge; hedge.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

שוך (s-w-kh) — to entwine, to hedge about, to enclose

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H7755 שׂוֹכֹה Enclosed Settlement

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H4881-02 מְשׂוּכָּת/וֹ֙ mesukato HNcfsc/Sp3ms its hedge his thorn-hedge 1
H4881-01 כִּ/מְשֻׂ֣כַת kimesukhat HR/Ncfsc like a hedge like a thorn-hedge of 1

Occurrences in Scripture

2 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H4881-02 Isaiah 5:5 מְשׂוּכָּת/וֹ֙ mesukato HNcfsc/Sp3ms its hedge his thorn-hedge
H4881-01 Proverbs 15:19 כִּ/מְשֻׂ֣כַת kimesukhat HR/Ncfsc like a hedge like a thorn-hedge of
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