Lexical Summary matsoq: distress, anguish Original Word: מָצוֹק Strong's Exhaustive Concordance anguish, distress From tsuwq; a narrow place, i.e. (abstractly and figuratively) confinement or disability -- anguish, distress, straitness. see HEBREW tsuwq NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom tsuq Definition straits, stress NASB Translation anguish (1), distress (5). Brown-Driver-Briggs מָצוֺק noun [masculine] straitness, straits, stress; — always absolute ׳מ; — ׳כָּלאִֿישׁ מ 1 Samuel 22:2 every man of straits (in straits); ׳בְּמָצוֺר וּבְמ Deuteronomy 28:53,55,57; Jeremiah 19:9 (all of national straits); מְצָאוּנִי ׳צַרוּֿמ Psalm 119:143; perhaps read מָצוֺק also Psalm 32:6, for מצא רק, compare Du Br. Topical Lexicon Scope and Sense מָצוֹק portrays intense external pressure that forces a person or community into a place of desperation. Whether describing the horrors of siege warfare or the inward crushing of the soul, the word consistently depicts circumstances in which human resources are exhausted and divine intervention is the only hope. Occurrences in Scripture Deuteronomy 28:53, 55, 57 form a triad within the covenant curses, forecasting the ghastly realities of siege that would come upon a disobedient Israel. 1 Samuel 22:2 shows the term on the personal level: “Everyone who was in distress, or in debt, or discontented gathered to him,” highlighting how David became a rallying point for those experiencing social and economic pressure. Psalm 119:143 connects physical hardship with spiritual resolve: “Trouble and distress have overtaken me, yet Your commandments are my delight.” Jeremiah 19:9 returns to national judgment, predicting cannibalism “because of the stress and siege your enemies will inflict on you.” Covenant Judgment and Siege Warfare The Deuteronomic passages locate מָצוֹק in the Mosaic covenant’s sanctions. Siege was the ultimate instrument of judgment: walls become cages, supply lines are cut, and desperation reaches cannibalistic extremes. The prophetic literature later records these very punishments during the Assyrian and Babylonian campaigns, underscoring the reliability of God’s word (compare 2 Kings 6:24-29; Lamentations 2:20). From National Crisis to Personal Anguish While siege imagery dominates the national scenes, 1 Samuel 22:2 and Psalm 119:143 demonstrate that מָצוֹק also describes personal hardship. Distressed Israelites gravitated to David, prefiguring Christ as the ultimate refuge for the oppressed (Matthew 11:28-30). The psalmist, surrounded by distress, turns to God’s commandments for delight, modeling how believers can respond when external forces become overwhelming. Prophetic Warning and Fulfillment Jeremiah employs the term to announce the coming Babylonian siege of Jerusalem. History records the fulfillment in 586 BC, validating the prophetic message. The echo of Deuteronomy in Jeremiah reinforces the principle that God’s warnings are neither empty nor arbitrary; they unfold exactly as spoken. Ministry Significance 1. Preaching: מָצוֹק calls contemporary audiences to consider both the severity of sin’s consequences and the sure refuge found in God. Theological Thread Throughout the Old Testament, מָצוֹק weaves a dual thread of judgment and mercy. While it exposes the crushing weight of covenant infidelity, it simultaneously directs the faithful to the steadfast character of God. The term therefore serves as both a sober warning and a gracious invitation: divine chastening aims to bring hearts back to the Lord, who alone can relieve every form of distress. Forms and Transliterations וּבְמָצ֔וֹק וּמָצ֥וֹק ובמצוק ומצוק מָצ֜וֹק מצוק mā·ṣō·wq māṣōwq maTzok ū·ḇə·mā·ṣō·wq ū·mā·ṣō·wq ūḇəmāṣōwq ūmāṣōwq umaTzok uvemaTzokLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Deuteronomy 28:53 HEB: אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ בְּמָצוֹר֙ וּבְמָצ֔וֹק אֲשֶׁר־ יָצִ֥יק NAS: you, during the siege and the distress by which KJV: thee, in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies INT: your God the siege and the distress which will oppress Deuteronomy 28:55 Deuteronomy 28:57 1 Samuel 22:2 Psalm 119:143 Jeremiah 19:9 6 Occurrences |
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