מְשַׁמָּה
𐤌𐤔𐤌𐤄
mᵉshammâh
H4923 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
State or place of devastation, ruin, or utter desolation; a condition of being laid waste, often conveying a sense of emptiness, destruction, and astonishment at the scale of loss. The term can be used literally for physical desolation of cities, land, or houses, as well as metaphorically for utter devastation in other domains (e.g., the spirit or hope).
Semantic Range
desolation, devastation, utter ruin (of land, cities, houses); a place laid waste; the state of being utterly destroyed; astonishment (as a response to extreme devastation)
Root / Etymology
מְשַׁמָּה is a feminine noun derived from the root שׁמם, which means 'to be desolate, to be appalled, to be destroyed'. The noun is a derivative emphasizing the state or result of desolation, rather than the process. The mem-prefix in nouns often signals a resultant or place noun, indicating 'that which is made desolate' or 'a state of devastation'.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In Biblical usage, מְשַׁמָּה typically connotes severe devastation or ruin, often in connection with divine judgment or aftermath of conflict. The desolation described can pertain to urban centers (e.g., Jerusalem, cities of other nations), the land of Israel or its environs, or even houses and personal property. The term is frequently paired with synonymic nouns such as שְׁמָמָה (shemamah), amplifying the depth of devastation with assonance and intensifying effect. מְשַׁמָּה occurs in prophetic literature (e.g., Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel) in oracles against both Israelite/Judahite and foreign cities. English translations usually render it as 'desolation', 'waste', or less often 'astonishment', but the sense of being astonished is secondary, a reaction to the degree of devastation. There is a subtle difference between מְשַׁמָּה (emphasizing the result) and שְׁמָמָה (often used interchangeably, but occasionally more abstract). In later biblical periods, the term continues to signify thorough devastation rather than mere abandonment. It does not carry the later theological or soteriological nuances sometimes assigned in translations like 'astonishment' (as in KJV 'astonishment'), which are better seen as emotional reactions to the primary sense of ruin.
Translation Consistency
מְשַׁמָּה denotes a state or place of utter devastation and emptiness. "Desolation" is the natural, widely used English noun that covers both literal ruin (land, cities, houses) and the metaphorical sense (utter devastation, astonishment), matching the SILEX range better than quieter alternatives like "waste" or more general "ruin." It preserves the sense and tone across all occurrences.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from שָׁמֵם; a waste or amazement; astonishment, desolate.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
שׁמם (š-m-m) — to be desolate, to be appalled, to be destroyed
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H8047 | שַׁמָּה | for utter desolation |
| H8049 | שַׁמְהוּת | Shamhuth |
| H8054 | שַׁמּוֹת | Shammoth |
| H8060 | שַׁמַּי | Shammay |
| H8064 | שָׁמַיִם | in the lofty-heights |
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4923-03 |
וּ/מְשַׁמָּ֔ה | umeshamah | HC/Ncfsa |
and-waste | and utter desolation | and utter desolation | 5 |
H4923-01 |
לִ/מְשַׁמּ֖וֹת | limeshamot | HR/Ncfpa |
desolations | to desolations | to desolations | 1 |
H4923-02 |
מְשַׁמּ֣וֹת | meshamot | HNcfpa |
desolate | desolations | desolations | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
7 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4923-02 |
Isaiah 15:6 | מְשַׁמּ֣וֹת | meshamot | HNcfpa |
desolate | desolations | desolations |
H4923-01 |
Jeremiah 48:34 | לִ/מְשַׁמּ֖וֹת | limeshamot | HR/Ncfpa |
desolations | to desolations | to desolations |
H4923-03 |
Ezekiel 5:15 | וּ/מְשַׁמָּ֔ה | umeshamah | HC/Ncfsa |
and-horror | and utter desolation | and utter desolation |
H4923-03 |
Ezekiel 6:14 | וּ/מְשַׁמָּה֙ | umeshamah | HC/Ncfsa |
and-waste | and utter desolation | and utter desolation |
H4923-03 |
Ezekiel 33:28 | וּ/מְשַׁמָּ֔ה | umeshamah | HC/Ncfsa |
and-waste | and utter desolation | and utter desolation |
H4923-03 |
Ezekiel 33:29 | וּ/מְשַׁמָּ֔ה | umeshamah | HC/Ncfsa |
and waste | and utter desolation | and utter desolation |
H4923-03 |
Ezekiel 35:3 | וּ/מְשַׁמָּֽה | umeshamah | HC/Ncfsa |
and-waste | and utter desolation | and utter desolation |