מַשְׂרֵת
𐤌𐤔𐤓𐤕
masrêth
H4958 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A shallow vessel, bowl, or pan used as a container, particularly for receiving ashes, coals, or parts of offerings in cultic contexts. Also denotes a kind of dish or tray used for ritual purposes in the tabernacle or temple service. The term primarily refers to utilitarian containers used in specific sacred or practical functions.
Semantic Range
shallow vessel, bowl for ashes, pan for offerings, ritual container, tray used in temple/tabernacle service
Root / Etymology
From uncertain root, likely linked to an unused form meaning 'to perforate' or 'hollow out,' indicating the act of shaping or forming a hollow object. The specific derivation or connection to documented roots is not attested in biblical Hebrew.
Historical & Contextual Notes
מַשְׂרֵת (masrêth) is rare in the Hebrew Bible and appears in ritual contexts, such as descriptions of the implements used in sanctuary service (e.g., in tabernacle/temple inventories). The term distinguishes itself from broader words for bowl (e.g. קְעָרָה qe‘arah) or pan (e.g. מַחְבֶּרֶת machberet), highlighting its use as a vessel specifically designated for receiving ashes or fat from offerings. Some English translations render it simply as 'pan,' but this can obscure its cultic specificity. The form suggests an object shaped to receive or contain, possibly formed by hollowing or fashioning from metal. In later periods, the precise identification is uncertain, and the word is not attested outside a ritual-technical context. Compared to more general terms for cooking or storage vessels, מַשְׂרֵת appears exclusively in inventories of sanctuary utensils, marking its special function in sacred rites rather than ordinary domestic use. Later Jewish interpretive traditions sometimes expanded or generalized its meaning, but in biblical usage it remains a specialized term.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
apparently from an unused root meaning to perforate, i.e. hollow out; a pan; pan.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
משרת (m-ś-r-t) — to perforate, to hollow out, to form a receptacle
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4958-01 |
הַ/מַּשְׂרֵת֙ | hamaseret | HTd/Ncfsa |
pan | hollowed ritual bowl | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4958-01 |
2 Samuel 13:9 | הַ/מַּשְׂרֵת֙ | hamaseret | HTd/Ncfsa |
pan | hollowed ritual bowl |