Lexical Summary mashchith: Destroyer, destruction, ruin Original Word: מַשְׁחִית Strong's Exhaustive Concordance corruption, to destroying, destruction, trap, utterly From shachath; destructive, i.e. (as noun) destruction, literally (specifically a snare) or figuratively (corruption) -- corruption, (to) destroy(-ing), destruction, trap, X utterly. see HEBREW shachath NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom shachath Definition ruin, destruction NASB Translation deathly pallor (1), destroy (2), destruction (3), trap (1), utterly (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs מַשְׁחִית noun [masculine] ruin, destruction; — ׳מ absolute Jeremiah 5:26 10t.; — physical destruction Ezekiel 5:16; Ezekiel 9:6; Ezekiel 21:36; Ezekiel 25:15; Exodus 12:13 (P), 2 Chronicles 20:23; 22:4; ׳בַּעַל מ Proverbs 18:9 = destroyer; Daniel 10:8 (disfigurement); ׳הַרמֿ Jeremiah 51:25 (figurative of Babylonian as destroyer), in 2 Kings 23:13 = mountain of corruption (where bamoth were, southern end of Mt. of Olives, possibly adapted from הַרמִֿשְׁחָה so HoffmZAW ii (1882), 175 Benz Kit Bur; ᵑ9 mons offensionis). Topical Lexicon General Scope of the Wordמַשְׁחִית revolves around the idea of complete ruin—whether effected by a personal agent (“destroyer”), by human violence, by national calamity, or by inward decay. It functions as a sober reminder that the holy God judges sin thoroughly while at the same time providing protection and hope for those under the blood of atonement. Deliverance from the Destroyer (Exodus 12:13) At the first Passover the Lord promised, “No plague will be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt” (Exodus 12:13). The noun points to an active “destroyer,” traditionally understood as an angelic executioner of judgment (compare Hebrews 11:28). The blood-marked lintels sheltered Israel, prefiguring the saving power of Christ’s blood. Thus מַשְׁחִית introduces the pattern of redemptive judgment: wrath passes over when substitutionary sacrifice is applied. Idolatry Breeds Corruption (2 Kings 23:13) “The high places east of Jerusalem… on the south of the Mount of Corruption” (2 Kings 23:13) bear the very name מַשְׁחִית. Solomon’s compromise with pagan worship turned the slopes of Olivet into a symbol of spiritual decay, later purged by Josiah. The site warns that idolatry never remains “private”; it festers until it earns the title “mountain of corruption.” Self-Destruction of the Wicked (2 Chronicles 20:23) When Moab, Ammon, and Mount Seir rose against Judah, “they turned against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to utterly destroy them” (adapted from 2 Chronicles 20:23). Here the word exposes a divine irony: enemies of God’s people often become their own מַשְׁחִית, illustrating Proverbs 11:5, “The wicked fall by their own wickedness.” Fatal Counsel and Individual Ruin (2 Chronicles 22:4) Ahaziah “followed their advice, and it led to his destruction” (2 Chronicles 22:4). Ungodly influence is portrayed as a personal power of ruin. The verse presses home the pastoral truth that companionship shapes destiny (1 Corinthians 15:33). A Snare within the Covenant Community (Jeremiah 5:26) Jeremiah exposes corrupt Israelites who “set a trap… they catch men.” The plotting net is called מַשְׁחִית, showing that treachery inside the covenant people is just as destructive as foreign invasion. Cosmic Judgment on Nations (Jeremiah 51:25; Ezekiel 25:15) “I am against you, O destroying mountain” (Jeremiah 51:25) targets Babylon, while Ezekiel denounces Philistia “to destroy with perpetual hostility.” The same word judges imperial arrogance and tribal vendetta alike, emphasizing God’s equal-opportunity justice. Instrumental Agents of Devastation (Ezekiel 9:6; 21:31) In Ezekiel’s temple vision the command rings, “Slaughter… but do not touch anyone who has the mark” (Ezekiel 9:6). Later, Jerusalem is handed to “brutal men, skilled in destruction” (Ezekiel 21:31). מַשְׁחִית identifies both supernatural and human executors, underscoring that the Lord directs every sword (Isaiah 10:5). Famine, Pestilence, and Arrow (Ezekiel 5:16) Famine becomes a “deadly arrow of destruction,” broadening the term beyond warfare to ecological judgments. The covenant curses of Leviticus 26 echo here, proving the inner coherence of Scripture’s warning. Human Frailty before the Holy (Daniel 10:8) Daniel’s face turned “deathly” (literally “toward destruction”) at the heavenly vision. The prophet’s sudden weakness reveals that mere exposure to divine glory discloses mankind’s intrinsic corruption apart from grace. Ministry Implications 1. Proclaim both judgment and refuge. The same word that threatens Egypt also secures Israel; Christ is the true Passover who neutralizes the destroyer (1 Corinthians 5:7). Summary מַשְׁחִית threads through Scripture as a multifaceted testimony to God’s unwavering opposition to sin—as plague, mountain of idolatry, sword, or inner decay—yet always with a redemptive door standing open through the blood He Himself provides. Forms and Transliterations הַמַּשְׁחִית֒ הַמַּשְׁחִית֙ המשחית לְמַשְׁחִ֔ית לְמַשְׁחִ֖ית לְמַשְׁחִ֗ית לְמַשְׁחִ֥ית לְמַשְׁחִֽית׃ למשחית למשחית׃ מַשְׁחִ֖ית מַשְׁחִֽית׃ משחית משחית׃ ham·maš·ḥîṯ hammashChit hammašḥîṯ lə·maš·ḥîṯ lemashChit ləmašḥîṯ maš·ḥîṯ mashChit mašḥîṯLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Exodus 12:13 HEB: בָכֶ֥ם נֶ֙גֶף֙ לְמַשְׁחִ֔ית בְּהַכֹּתִ֖י בְּאֶ֥רֶץ KJV: over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy [you], when I smite INT: will befall plague to destroy strike the land 2 Kings 23:13 2 Chronicles 20:23 2 Chronicles 22:4 Jeremiah 5:26 Jeremiah 51:25 Ezekiel 5:16 Ezekiel 9:6 Ezekiel 21:31 Ezekiel 25:15 Daniel 10:8 11 Occurrences |
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