Lexical Summary meshugah: Mad, insane, crazy Original Word: מְשׁוּגָּה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance error From an unused root meaning to stray; mistake -- error. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom an unused word Definition error NASB Translation error (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [מְשׁוּגָה] noun feminine error; — suffix מְשׁוּגָתִי Job 19:4 (? read מְשֻׁגָּתִי). שׁוֺד Job 5:21 van d. H., for I.שֹׁד q. v. below שׁדד. [שׁוּד] verb, יָשׁוּד Psalm 91:6 see שׁדד. Topical Lexicon Overview מְשׁוּגָּה (meshuggah) denotes a personal “error,” “straying,” or “wandering from the way.” Though the form appears only once in the Old Testament, the idea it conveys—deviation from the right path—threads through the entire canon, revealing Scripture’s consistent portrayal of human frailty and God’s provision for restoration. Scriptural Occurrence Job 19:4 is the solitary text in which the term itself is employed: “Even if it is true that I have erred, my error concerns me alone” (Berean Standard Bible). Job’s declaration stands amid his rebuttal of friends who insist his suffering must arise from hidden sin. Here, “error” is acknowledged hypothetically yet claimed as a matter between Job and his God, underscoring personal responsibility before the Lord. Literary Setting in Job Within the larger dialogue, Job 19 forms a pivotal moment of protest and hope. Encircled by accusations (Job 19:1–3) and alienation (Job 19:13–19), Job affirms that any deviation, if present, is a private matter (19:4) before appealing to divine vindication (19:25–27). The singular use of מְשׁוּגָּה heightens the contrast between Job’s potential misstep and his unshaken confidence that God remains his Redeemer. Semantic Nuances in Hebrew Thought Ancient Hebrew employed several roots to describe sin’s many facets: The nuance behind מְשׁוּגָּה lies closer to חָטָא yet adds the imagery of wandering—an unintentional veering off course rather than overt revolt. It captures the subtle, often unnoticed drift that nevertheless requires correction. Relation to Wider Biblical Teaching 1. Human propensity to stray: “All we like sheep have gone astray” (Isaiah 53:6). Historical and Cultural Insights In patriarchal times, moral failure brought communal shame. Friends assumed retribution theology: suffering equals guilt. Job’s stance—owning any possible error while rejecting blanket condemnation—challenges that cultural norm and foreshadows later prophetic critiques of simplistic cause-and-effect assumptions (cf. Ezekiel 18:2–4; John 9:1–3). Doctrinal and Pastoral Significance • Conscience and confession: Job acknowledges the possibility of fault without capitulating to false charges, modeling balanced self-examination. Christological and Redemptive Trajectory Job’s hypothetical “error” foreshadows humanity’s universal need for a Mediator. Jesus Christ fulfills that role, standing in the gap for every misstep and securing vindication. What Job grasped dimly, the New Testament reveals fully: “He was delivered over to death for our trespasses and raised to life for our justification” (Romans 4:25). Applications for Worship and Ministry 1. Preaching: Use Job 19:4 to emphasize honest self-assessment without succumbing to baseless guilt. Summary מְשׁוּגָּה points to the reality of personal deviation while simultaneously directing attention to God’s redemptive answer. Though appearing only once, its theological weight echoes throughout Scripture, reminding believers that any wanderer who turns to the Redeemer finds mercy, restoration, and ultimate justification. Forms and Transliterations מְשׁוּגָתִֽי׃ משוגתי׃ mə·šū·ḡā·ṯî meshugaTi məšūḡāṯîLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Job 19:4 HEB: אִ֝תִּ֗י תָּלִ֥ין מְשׁוּגָתִֽי׃ NAS: erred, My error lodges KJV: [that] I have erred, mine error remaineth INT: for lodges my error 1 Occurrence |
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