מְשׁוּסָה
𐤌𐤔𐤅𐤎𐤄
mᵉshûwçâh
H4882 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Material taken as booty or spoil, especially as the result of military action or plundering; the act or result of plundering, with a focus on the goods or property forcibly taken from another. The word can denote spoils seized in battle or generally acquired through forceful dispossession.
Semantic Range
booty, spoil, plunder, that which has been violently taken in war or by force; act or result of being plundered; property seized by violence
Root / Etymology
Derived from an unused or unattested root in Hebrew, likely connected to the root שׁסס (sh-s-s), meaning 'to plunder' or 'to despoil.' Though the root does not appear in the standard verbal forms in the Hebrew Bible, related nouns such as מַשָּׁס (mashas, 'booty, spoil') support the sense of 'that which is seized by violence or force.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term מְשׁוּסָה appears infrequently in the Hebrew Bible, notably in prophetic literature (e.g., Isaiah 42:22), often describing peoples or cities that have become victims of plundering, emphasizing their vulnerability and the loss of prosperity or status. The word's usage does not refer to legal reparation or civil forfeiture, but rather to the violent taking of property, especially in war or invasion. In distinction to other terms such as שָׁלָל (shalal, generic spoil or prey), מְשׁוּסָה has a heightened emphasis on the violent or destructive aspect of plundering rather than just possession of goods. In later translation traditions (e.g., Greek LXX, some English versions), the nuance of violent dispossession is sometimes flattened to 'prey' or 'spoil.' In prophetic passages, it is often used as a metaphor for the state of Israelite or Judahite society, describing their subjugation and lost autonomy during periods of national crisis (monarchic, exilic periods). Usage does not typically reflect the later period nuances associated with post-exilic or Hellenistic Judean society.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from an unused root meaning to plunder; spoilation; spoil.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שׁסס (š-s-s) — to plunder, despoil, seize by force
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4882-01 |
ל/משוסה | lmshvsh | HR/Ncfsa |
to-plunder | plundered spoil | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4882-01 |
Isaiah 42:24 | ל/משוסה | lmshvsh | HR/Ncfsa |
to-plunder | plundered spoil |