מַשְׂכֹּרֶת (H4909) — Hebrew Lexicon

מַשְׂכֹּרֶת

𐤌𐤔𐤊𐤓𐤕

maskôreth

H4909 noun

SILEX Entry

Root שכר to hire, to reward, to lease, to compensate

Definition

A payment made in exchange for labor, work, or service; compensation or remuneration given to an individual for their employment, services rendered, or work performed. The term can refer to monetary wages, tangible rewards, or earned compensation in both literal and extended senses, and may also denote a share or portion allotted as recompense.

Semantic Range

wages, pay, hire, compensation, remuneration, reward, share allotted as payment

Root / Etymology

From the root שָׂכַר (sh-k-r), which fundamentally means 'to hire,' 'to lease,' or 'to reward.' מַשְׂכֹּרֶת is a feminine noun form denoting 'that which is given as payment or reward,' i.e., wages or compensation. While the verb שָׂכַר means 'to hire' or 'to receive wages,' the noun form specifically expresses the object or sum of what is given in return for labor or service.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, מַשְׂכֹּרֶת commonly appears in contexts of remuneration for work (Genesis 30:28, 31:8), wages for laborers, or the tangible benefit received as a result of service. Its usage covers both physical and abstract forms of reward, but primarily denotes wage-based, transactional compensation. In the patriarchal narratives (e.g., Jacob and Laban), it specifically refers to agreed-upon payment for services. While classical translations often rendered the word as 'reward' or 'hire,' most contexts point to the concrete sense of 'wages' or 'pay.' In some late biblical and post-exilic contexts, the term may acquire a more abstract nuance of 'reward,' but the concrete notion of compensation remains primary. The word contrasts with שָׂכָר (sākār), another noun from the same root, which may carry broader or more abstract notions of reward or merit; מַשְׂכֹּרֶת is generally more transactional and concrete. Later English translations sometimes use 'reward' for מַשְׂכֹּרֶת, yet this can obscure the specific financial or compensation-based connotation present in the Hebrew text.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from שָׂכַר; wages or a reward; reward, wages.

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Root Family

שכר (sh-k-r) — to hire, to reward, to compensate, to lease

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H3485	יִשָּׂשכָר	in Reward-bringer
H7910	שִׁכּוֹר	drunken one
H7916	שָׂכִיר	as a wage-earner
H7917	שְׂכִירָה	the hire-wage
H7937	שָׁכַר	I will intoxicate
H7939	שָׂכָר	in his compensation
H7940	שָׂכָר	wage-payment
H7941	שֵׁכָר	the intoxicating drink
H7942	שִׁכְּרוֹן	Drunkenness-townward
H7943	שִׁכָּרוֹן	to intoxication

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H4909-03`	מַשְׂכֻּרְתִּ֖/י	masekureti	`HNcfsc/Sp1cs`	my wages	my wages	2
`H4909-01`	מַּשְׂכֻּרְתֶּֽ/ךָ	masekuretekha	`HNcfsc/Sp2ms`	shall your wages be	your compensation	1
`H4909-02`	מַשְׂכֻּרְתֵּ֜/ךְ	masekuretekhe	`HNcfsc/Sp2fs`	your wages	your wages	1

Occurrences in Scripture

4 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H4909-01`	Genesis 29:15	מַּשְׂכֻּרְתֶּֽ/ךָ	masekuretekha	`HNcfsc/Sp2ms`	shall your wages be	your compensation
`H4909-03`	Genesis 31:7	מַשְׂכֻּרְתִּ֖/י	masekureti	`HNcfsc/Sp1cs`	my wages	my wages
`H4909-03`	Genesis 31:41	מַשְׂכֻּרְתִּ֖/י	masekureti	`HNcfsc/Sp1cs`	my wages	my wages
`H4909-02`	Ruth 2:12	מַשְׂכֻּרְתֵּ֜/ךְ	masekuretekhe	`HNcfsc/Sp2fs`	your wages	your wages

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