4535. massach
Lexical Summary
massach: Covering, screen, curtain

Original Word: מַסָּח
Part of Speech: Adverb
Transliteration: maccach
Pronunciation: mah-sahk
Phonetic Spelling: (mas-sawkh')
KJV: broken down
NASB: defense
Word Origin: [from H5255 (נָסַח - tear away) in the sense of staving off]

1. a cordon, (adverbially) or (as a) military barrier

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
broken down

From nacach in the sense of staving off; a cordon, (adverbially) or (as a) military barrier -- broken down.

see HEBREW nacach

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
perhaps from nasach
Definition
perhaps repulse, defense
NASB Translation
defense (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
מַסָּח dubious word, only in וּשְׂמַרְתֶּם אֶתמִֿשְׁמֶרֶת הַבַּיִת מַסָּ֑ח 2 Kings 11:6; Thes and others below v נסח = for plucking away i.e. repulse, defence, but very uncertain; probably textual error; omitted by ᵐ5B We Stap. 354; ᵐ5L Μεσσαε.

[מִסְחָר] see סחר

Topical Lexicon
Word and Context

מַסָּח appears once in the Old Testament, in 2 Kings 11:6, where Jehoiada instructs the rotating Sabbath guard to “keep watch over the house for defense”. The term designates a protective watch or sentry duty placed as a living barrier to secure sacred space.

Historical Setting in 2 Kings 11

Athaliah had usurped the throne of Judah and threatened the extinction of the Davidic line. In the seventh year Jehoiada revealed the hidden boy-king Joash, arranging a careful three-fold guard around the temple precincts. מַסָּח names this strategic cordon. The role was not merely military; it preserved covenant continuity, protecting both the royal heir and the temple during a decisive moment in redemptive history.

Symbolic and Theological Themes

1. Covenant preservation: The guard served the larger purpose of safeguarding the promise to David (2 Samuel 7:12-16).
2. Sanctity of worship: By fencing off the temple courts, the priests highlighted the holiness of God’s dwelling (Psalm 93:5).
3. Divine protection mediated through human agency: The human מַסָּח mirrored the Lord’s own watchfulness over His people (Psalm 121:4).

Connections with the Biblical Motif of Watchfulness

While מַסָּח is unique, Scripture frequently employs watch-language (שָׁמַר, מִשְׁמֶרֶת) for priests, prophets, and believers (Exodus 27:21; Ezekiel 33:7; 1 Peter 5:8). Each instance underscores alertness for the sake of covenant fidelity. In 2 Kings 11 the concept is intensified: the guard is not only alert but physically stands between the holy place and any threat.

Implications for Worship and Ministry Today

• Spiritual vigilance: Just as the Levites formed a living bulwark, congregations are called to guard doctrine, worship, and moral integrity (1 Timothy 6:20).
• Shared responsibility: Jehoiada divided the duty into shifts, illustrating wise delegation and corporate accountability.
• Protective leadership: Pastors and elders bear a modern form of מַסָּח, ensuring that the congregation remains a sanctuary for the presence of God (Hebrews 13:17).

Christological Reflections

Joash, the saved king, prefigures the greater Son of David, Jesus Christ. The defensive watch that shielded Joash anticipates the Father’s sovereign preservation of the Messianic line, culminating in the birth of Christ (Galatians 4:4). Moreover, Jesus now stands as the ultimate guardian of His church (John 10:27-29), fulfilling the ideal embodied in מַסָּח.

Summary

מַסָּח in 2 Kings 11:6 portrays a purposeful human barrier established to preserve both temple and throne at a turning point in Judah’s history. Though the term appears only once, its themes of vigilant protection, covenant faithfulness, and sanctified leadership resonate throughout Scripture and continue to inform the church’s mission to “guard the good deposit” entrusted to her.

Forms and Transliterations
מַסָּֽח׃ מסח׃ mas·sāḥ masSach massāḥ
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
2 Kings 11:6
HEB: מִשְׁמֶ֥רֶת הַבַּ֖יִת מַסָּֽח׃
NAS: watch over the house for defense.
KJV: of the house, that it be not broken down.
INT: watch the house defense

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 4535
1 Occurrence


mas·sāḥ — 1 Occ.

4534
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