Lexical Summary mashsha: Load, burden, tribute Original Word: מַשָּׁא Strong's Exhaustive Concordance exaction, usury From nashah; a loan; by implication, interest on a debt -- exaction, usury. see HEBREW nashah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom nasha Definition lending on interest, usury NASB Translation exaction (1), usury (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs מַשָּׁא noun masculineNehemiah 5:10 lending on interest, or usury; — Nehemiah 5:7 (as accusative of congnate meaning with verb), Nehemiah 5:10. Topical Lexicon Semantic Range and Core Idea מַשָּׁא (mashsha) denotes an imposed financial burden that accrues through lending—what English translations usually render “interest,” “usury,” or “debt.” The term does not describe the principal of a loan but the additional amount exacted from the borrower. It therefore addresses the moral dimensions of economic relationships more than mere bookkeeping. Occurrences in Scripture The word appears twice, both in the memoirs of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 5:10; Nehemiah 10:31). In each case the covenant community is confronting the ethical boundaries of finance: • Nehemiah 5:10 records Nehemiah’s rebuke of wealthy Judeans who were charging interest on loans to their destitute brothers. He urges, “Let us stop this interest”, calling for immediate cessation of mashsha. Historical Background Post-exilic Judah was economically fragile. Persian taxation, crop failures, and the costs of wall-building tempted affluent Israelites to secure their wealth by lending at interest. Yet the Mosaic legislation had already forbidden such exploitation among covenant members (Exodus 22:25; Leviticus 25:35-37; Deuteronomy 23:19-20). Nehemiah therefore appeals to Torah precedent, framing mashsha as a violation not merely of social courtesy but of covenant faithfulness. Theology of Lending and Compassion 1. Divine Ownership. Psalm 24:1 affirms, “The earth is the LORD’s.” All economic activity, therefore, is stewardship under divine oversight. Ministry Significance for Today • Financial Ethics in the Church. Modern believers are called to practices that protect the needy from crushing debt, reflecting God’s heart revealed in the prohibition of mashsha. Christological Reflection Jesus Christ embodies the ultimate release from debt: “Forgive us our debts” (Matthew 6:12). On the cross He cancels the record of sin’s indebtedness (Colossians 2:14), fulfilling the deeper spiritual reality to which mashsha pointed. Thus Nehemiah’s economic reforms foreshadow the Messiah’s redemptive work, where grace cancels the impossible liability we owe to God. Integration with the New Testament While the New Testament does not reiterate Israel’s civil statutes, it intensifies their ethical intent. Romans 13:8 commands, “Owe no one anything, except to love each other,” capturing the spirit of mashsha-free relationships—where love, not profit, governs interactions. James 5:4 likewise condemns exploitation of laborers, reinforcing the continuity of God’s concern for economic righteousness. Conclusion מַשָּׁא functions as a barometer of covenant fidelity. Its rejection in Nehemiah signals revived obedience, communal solidarity, and reverence for God’s law. For the church today, the term summons believers to merciful stewardship and a counter-cultural economy shaped by the gospel of grace. Forms and Transliterations הַמַּשָּׁ֥א המשא וּמַשָּׁ֥א ומשא ham·maš·šā hammashSha hammaššā ū·maš·šā umashSha ūmaššāLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Nehemiah 5:10 HEB: נָּ֖א אֶת־ הַמַּשָּׁ֥א הַזֶּֽה׃ NAS: let us leave off this usury. KJV: I pray you, let us leave off this usury. INT: leave Please usury this Nehemiah 10:31 2 Occurrences |
    |