Lexical Summary machashabah or machashebeth: Thought, plan, purpose, device, intention Original Word: מַחֲשָׁבָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance cunning work, curious work, imagination, invented, means, purpose, thoughtOr machashebeth {makh-ash-eh'-beth}; from chashab; a contrivance, i.e. (concretely) a texture, machine, or (abstractly) intention, plan (whether bad, a plot; or good, advice) -- cunning (work), curious work, device(-sed), imagination, invented, means, purpose, thought. see HEBREW chashab NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom chashab Definition thought, device NASB Translation design (1), designs (3), devised (1), intentions* (1), invented (1), inventive (1), plan (2), plans (14), plot (1), plots (1), plotting (1), purposes (3), scheme (2), schemes (4), thoughts (19), ways (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs מַחֲשָׁבָה noun feminine thought, device (chiefly in poetry and late) — absolute ׳מ Jeremiah 18:11; Jeremiah 49:30; מַחֲשֶׁ֫בֶת Ezekiel 38:10; מַחֲשָׁ֑בֶת Exodus 35:33; 2Chron 2:13; construct מַחֲשֶׁבֶת Esther 8:5; 2Chronicles 26:15; suffix מַחֲשַׁבְתּוֺ Esther 8:3; Esther 9:25; plural מַחֲשָׁבוֺת Jeremiah 11:19 7t.; מַחֲשְׁבֹת Exodus 31:4 3t.; construct מַחְשְׁבוֺת Isaiah 59:7 13t.; מַחְשְׁבֹת Genesis 6:5; suffix מַחְשְׁבוֺתַי Isaiah 55:8 etc. + 19 t. suffixes; — 1 thought: a. of man אדם ׳מ Psalm 94:11; לֵב ׳מ Psalm 33:11 thoughts of the mind; (לבׅ ׳(כל) יצר מ Genesis 6:5 (J), 1 Chronicles 28:9; 1 Chronicles 29:18. b. of God יהוה ׳מ Micah 4:12; with אֶלֿ Psalm 40:6; עַלֿ Jeremiah 51:29; the thoughts of God are exceeding deep Psalm 92:6; higher than man's thoughts Isaiah 55:8 (twice in verse); Isaiah 55:9 (twice in verse). 2 device, plan, purpose Isaiah 55:7; Isaiah 59:7; Isaiah 65:2; Isaiah 66:18; Jeremiah 6:19; Jeremiah 18:12; Psalm 56:6; Proverbs 19:21; Job 21:27; Lamentations 3:60,61; Esther 8:5; חָרוּץ ׳מ Proverbs 21:5; עֲרוּמִים ׳מ Job 5:12; צדיקים ׳מ Proverbs 12:5; עמים ׳מ Psalm 33:10; אֹון ׳מ Isaiah 59:7; Jeremiah 4:14; Proverbs 6:18; רע ׳מ Proverbs 15:26; שָׁלוֺם ׳מ Jeremiah 21:11; ׳חשׁב מ devise devices 2 Samuel 14:14; Jeremiah 11:19; Jeremiah 18:11,18; Jeremiah 29:11; Jeremiah 49:20,30; Jeremiah 50:45; Ezekiel 38:10; Daniel 11:24,25; Esther 8:3; Esther 9:25; ׳מ as subject of נָכוֺן be established Proverbs 16:3; Proverbs 20:18; ׳הפר מ break plans Proverbs 15:22. 3 invention Exodus 31:4; Exodus 35:32,33,35 (all P), 2 Chron 2:13; 2 Chronicles 26:15 (see חָשַׁב I 5). Topical Lexicon Definition and Scope The noun מַחֲשָׁבָה occurs roughly fifty-six times in the Hebrew Scriptures. It denotes mental activity that moves from inward reflection to outward purpose: thoughts, plans, intentions, schemes, artistic designs, or devices. The context determines whether the term carries a positive, neutral, or negative sense. Frequency and Distribution The word appears in every major section of the Old Testament—Torah, Historical Books, Wisdom Literature, and Prophets—revealing its broad theological reach. Thirty-three occurrences are clearly ethical or spiritual, eighteen relate to craftsmanship or statecraft, and the remainder are narrative or poetic descriptions of inner life. Divine Thoughts and Plans Scripture repeatedly affirms that the LORD’s thoughts stand in majestic contrast to human reasoning. • Psalm 33:11 – “The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations.” God’s מַחֲשָׁבוֹת are unchanging, morally pure, and effectual. They encompass creation (Psalm 92:5), providence (Psalm 40:5), discipline (Jeremiah 23:20), and salvation (Isaiah 55:7-9). He not only conceives perfect purposes but also brings them to fruition, overruling human machinations (Job 5:12; Proverbs 19:21). Human Thought Life: Noble and Wicked The word diagnoses the moral quality of the heart. Positive: Negative: Because human מַחֲשָׁבוֹת are vulnerable to corruption, Scripture calls for renewed minds (Isaiah 55:7; Psalm 139:23-24) and warns that secret schemes are fully exposed before God (Psalm 146:4; Psalm 94:11). Artistic Design and Creative Skill In Exodus 31–35 the term shifts from mental intention to artistic design. Bezalel and Oholiab are “to devise artistic works” for the Tabernacle (Exodus 31:4; 35:32, 35). Here מַחֲשָׁבָה highlights Spirit-endowed creativity. The same idea appears later in Temple blueprints (1 Chronicles 28:12) and military technology (2 Chronicles 26:15). Creativity, technology, and craftsmanship are therefore seen as gifts entrusted to serve God’s worship and His people’s welfare. National and Corporate Planning Kings and kingdoms form strategies (2 Samuel 14:14; Isaiah 19:17), yet God’s sovereignty prevails. Proverbs 15:22 commends wise counsel: “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” By contrast, conspiratorial plots—whether of Assyria (Nahum 1:11) or Gog (Ezekiel 38:10)—are destined for judgment. Prophetic Warnings and Comfort Prophets expose false confidence in human counsel (Isaiah 30:1; Jeremiah 18:11) and announce that divine plans for discipline will not relent “until He has carried out and accomplished the intentions of His heart” (Jeremiah 23:20). In Lamentations 3:60-61 Jeremiah lays before the LORD “all their vengeance, all their schemes against me,” trusting that God both sees and judges. Redemptive Thread Joseph declared, “You intended evil against me, but God intended it for good” (Genesis 50:20, verb form). The noun in Jeremiah 29:11 becomes a touchstone for hope during exile, pointing forward to the messianic restoration accomplished in Jesus Christ, in whom all God’s gracious thoughts toward His people find their “Yes” (compare 2 Corinthians 1:20). Ministry Implications 1. Renewal of Mind: Believers are called to align their מַחֲשָׁבוֹת with God’s revealed will (Proverbs 16:3; Romans 12:2). Selected Key References Exodus 31:4; 35:32, 35 Job 5:12; 21:27 Psalm 33:11; 40:5; 92:5; 94:11; 146:4 Proverbs 12:5; 15:22; 19:21; 21:5 Isaiah 55:8-9; 59:7 Jeremiah 4:14; 18:11; 23:20; 29:11 Together these passages reveal מַחֲשָׁבָה as a window into both the mind of God and the heart of humanity, inviting worship, repentance, and confident obedience. Forms and Transliterations הַמַּחֲשָׁבֹ֗ת המחשבת וּמַ֨חְשְׁבוֹתָ֔יו וּמַחְשְׁבֹ֣תֵיהֶ֔ם וּמַחְשְׁבֹתֶ֗יךָ וּמַחְשְׁבֹתַ֖י ומחשבותיו ומחשבתי ומחשבתיהם ומחשבתיך מִמַּחְשְׁבֹתֵיכֶֽם׃ מַ֭חֲשָׁבוֹת מַֽחֲשַׁבְתּ֔וֹ מַֽחֲשָׁב֔וֹת מַֽחֲשָׁבָ֑ה מַֽחַשָׁבֹ֑ת מַחְשְׁב֖וֹת מַחְשְׁב֣וֹת מַחְשְׁב֣וֹתֵיכֶ֔ם מַחְשְׁב֤וֹת מַחְשְׁב֥וֹת מַחְשְׁבֹ֣ת מַחְשְׁבֹתֵיהֶֽם׃ מַחְשְׁבֹתֶֽיךָ׃ מַחְשְׁבֹתָ֑יו מַחְשְׁבֹתָ֖יו מַחְשְׁבֹתָ֖ם מַחְשְׁבֹתָ֣ם מַחְשְׁבֽוֹתֵיהֶם֙ מַחְשְׁבֽוֹתֵיכֶ֑ם מַחְשְׁבוֹתֵ֙ינוּ֙ מַחְשְׁבוֹתַי֙ מַחְשְׁבוֹתָ֑ם מַחֲשֶׁ֜בֶת מַחֲשֶׁ֣בֶת מַחֲשֶׁ֥בֶת מַחֲשַׁבְתּ֧וֹ מַחֲשָֽׁבֶת׃ מַחֲשָׁ֑בֶת מַחֲשָׁב֖וֹת מַחֲשָׁב֗וֹת מַחֲשָׁב֣וֹת מַחֲשָׁבָֽה׃ מַחֲשָׁבֹ֑ת מַחֲשָׁבֹֽת׃ מַחֲשָׁבֽוֹת׃ מַחֲשָׁבוֹת֒ מחשבה מחשבה׃ מחשבות מחשבות׃ מחשבותי מחשבותיהם מחשבותיכם מחשבותינו מחשבותם מחשבת מחשבת׃ מחשבתו מחשבתיהם׃ מחשבתיו מחשבתיך׃ מחשבתם ממחשבתיכם׃ ham·ma·ḥă·šā·ḇōṯ hammachashaVot hammaḥăšāḇōṯ ma·ḥă·šā·ḇāh ma·ḥă·šā·ḇeṯ ma·ḥă·šā·ḇō·wṯ ma·ḥa·šā·ḇōṯ ma·ḥă·šā·ḇōṯ ma·ḥă·šaḇ·tōw ma·ḥă·še·ḇeṯ machashaVah machaShavet machashaVot machashavTo machaShevet machsheVot machshevoTai machshevoTam machshevoTav machshevoTeicha machshevoteiChem machshevoteiHem machshevoTeinu maḥ·šə·ḇō·ṯām maḥ·šə·ḇō·ṯāw maḥ·šə·ḇō·ṯê·hem maḥ·šə·ḇō·ṯe·ḵā maḥ·šə·ḇō·w·ṯām maḥ·šə·ḇō·w·ṯay maḥ·šə·ḇō·w·ṯê·hem maḥ·šə·ḇō·w·ṯê·ḵem maḥ·šə·ḇō·w·ṯê·nū maḥ·šə·ḇō·wṯ maḥ·šə·ḇōṯ maḥăšāḇāh maḥăšāḇeṯ maḥašāḇōṯ maḥăšāḇōṯ maḥăšāḇōwṯ maḥăšaḇtōw maḥăšeḇeṯ maḥšəḇōṯ maḥšəḇōṯām maḥšəḇōṯāw maḥšəḇōṯêhem maḥšəḇōṯeḵā maḥšəḇōwṯ maḥšəḇōwṯām maḥšəḇōwṯay maḥšəḇōwṯêhem maḥšəḇōwṯêḵem maḥšəḇōwṯênū mim·maḥ·šə·ḇō·ṯê·ḵem mimachshevoteiChem mimmaḥšəḇōṯêḵem ū·maḥ·šə·ḇō·ṯay ū·maḥ·šə·ḇō·ṯê·hem ū·maḥ·šə·ḇō·ṯe·ḵā ū·maḥ·šə·ḇō·w·ṯāw umachshevoTai uMachshevoTav umachshevoTeicha umachsheVoteiHem ūmaḥšəḇōṯay ūmaḥšəḇōṯêhem ūmaḥšəḇōṯeḵā ūmaḥšəḇōwṯāwLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 6:5 HEB: וְכָל־ יֵ֙צֶר֙ מַחְשְׁבֹ֣ת לִבּ֔וֹ רַ֥ק NAS: intent of the thoughts of his heart KJV: and [that] every imagination of the thoughts of his heart INT: every intent of the thoughts of his heart only Exodus 31:4 Exodus 35:32 Exodus 35:33 Exodus 35:35 2 Samuel 14:14 1 Chronicles 28:9 1 Chronicles 29:18 2 Chronicles 2:14 2 Chronicles 26:15 Esther 8:3 Esther 8:5 Esther 9:25 Job 5:12 Job 21:27 Psalm 33:10 Psalm 33:11 Psalm 40:5 Psalm 56:5 Psalm 92:5 Psalm 94:11 Proverbs 6:18 Proverbs 12:5 Proverbs 15:22 Proverbs 15:26 56 Occurrences |
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