מְשַׁח
𐤌𐤔𐤇
mᵉshach
H4887 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Oil, especially a liquid fat or grease used for anointing, lighting lamps, or as food. Refers generally to a processed or extracted oil, most often olive oil, though can denote other types of oils or greases depending on context. In Aramaic biblical passages, it functions much as Hebrew שֶׁמֶן (shemen), designating oil as a valuable and utilitarian commodity.
Semantic Range
oil, liquid fat, grease; olive oil; oil for anointing; oil for food; oil for lamps
Root / Etymology
Aramaic form derived from the root מָשַׁח (m-sh-ḥ), meaning 'to smear, anoint.' The Aramaic noun מְשַׁח (mᵉshach) corresponds to Hebrew שֶׁמֶן (shemen, 'oil'), but is itself a nominal formation directly from the root, emphasizing the oil in its function as something applied or smeared.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Used in Aramaic portions of the Hebrew Bible (e.g., Daniel 5:1, 10) as a general term for oil, paralleling the Hebrew term שֶׁמֶן. This term is especially prominent in post-exilic biblical texts, where Aramaic served as a significant administrative and literary language. While מְשַׁח is often rendered simply as 'oil' in English translations, the cultural context includes its association with feasting (as in banquets), anointing, and lamp lighting. Unlike Hebrew שֶׁמֶן, it is not commonly used in legal or ritual language. In later Rabbinic literature, derivatives appear in similar senses. English translations as 'oil' are apt but may not communicate the full range of its practical and social uses in ancient contexts.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
(Aramaic) from a root corresponding to מָשַׁח; oil; oil.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
משח (m-sh-ḥ) — to smear, to anoint, to apply liquid
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4473 | מִמְשַׁח | outspreading of |
| H4886 | מָשַׁח | to be anointed |
| H4888 | מִשְׁחָה | the anointing oil |
| H4893 | מִשְׁחָת | anointing oil of |
| H4899 | מָשִׁיחַ | in an anointed one of |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4887-01 |
מְשַׁ֖ח | meshach | ANcmsa |
oil | anointing oil | 1 |
H4887-02 |
וּ/מְשַׁ֗ח | umeshach | AC/Ncmsa |
and-oil | and oil | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences