Lexical Summary meyussadah: Foundation Original Word: מְיֻסָּדָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance foundation Properly, feminine passive participle of yacad; something founded, i.e. A foundation -- foundation. see HEBREW yacad NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfem. pass. part. of yasad, q.v. Topical Lexicon Meaning and Etymology מְיֻסָּדָה (meyussādāh) carries the idea of something “having been founded” or “firmly laid.” Although this exact feminine passive participle does not appear in the extant Old Testament text, it is transparently related to the root יסד (yāsad, “to found, establish, lay a foundation”). The root’s basic imagery is architectural: the deliberate, measured placement of a base that can bear weight, provide stability, and guarantee longevity. Theological Significance of the Foundation Motif 1. Divine Architect. Scripture consistently portrays the Lord as the One who “laid the foundations of the earth” (Psalm 104:5) and “founded Zion” (Psalm 87:1). Foundation-language thus highlights God’s sovereign initiative and wisdom in creation and redemption. Old Testament Parallels (Root יסד) • 1 Kings 6:37 — Solomon “laid the foundations of the house of the LORD.” Although מְיֻסָּדָה itself is unrecorded, these passages reveal the broader semantic field in which the participle would have functioned. Christological Fulfillment New Testament writers seize the Isaianic imagery to identify Jesus Christ as the ultimate, God-appointed foundation: The Messiah not only fulfills the promise of a secure foundation; He Himself is that foundation, rendering every believer a living stone in a spiritual house (1 Peter 2:4-6). Historical Background In the Ancient Near East, foundation laying was accompanied by ceremony, inscriptions, and often sacrifice, testifying to the permanence and sacredness of the structure. Biblical accounts mirror this cultural backdrop yet reorient the focus: the celebratory songs in Ezra 3, for instance, are directed exclusively to the Lord, underscoring that true security comes from Him, not from human engineering. Practical Ministry Applications • Doctrinal Stability. Believers are called to “continue in the faith, established and firm” (Colossians 1:23). Sound doctrine is to the church what a foundation is to a building. Devotional Reflection Though מְיֻסָּדָה never graces the inspired pages, its concept reverberates throughout Scripture: God establishes, God secures, God endures. Every stone laid in the redemptive account points to the Cornerstone, and every believer joined to Him finds a footing that can never be shaken. Links Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance wā·mā·yim — 4 Occ.ḇam·ma·yim — 7 Occ. wə·ḵam·ma·yim — 1 Occ. wə·ham·ma·yim — 7 Occ. lə·mî·yā·min — 1 Occ. mî·yā·min — 2 Occ. ū·mî·yā·min — 1 Occ. lə·mî·nāh — 12 Occ. lə·mî·nê·hem — 1 Occ. lə·mî·nê·hū — 14 Occ. mū·saḵ — 1 Occ. mîṣ — 1 Occ. ū·mîṣ- — 2 Occ. mê·šā — 1 Occ. mî·šā·’êl — 5 Occ. ū·lə·mî·šā·’êl — 1 Occ. ū·mî·šā·’êl — 1 Occ. mî·šā·’êl — 1 Occ. bam·mî·šōr — 4 Occ. bə·mî·šō·wr — 1 Occ. |