Lexical Summary moshel: Ruler, Governor, One who exercises dominion Original Word: משֶׁל Strong's Exhaustive Concordance dominion, like ('ab) from mashal; empire; ('ab) from mashal; a parallel -- dominion, like. see HEBREW 'ab see HEBREW mashal see HEBREW 'ab see HEBREW mashal Brown-Driver-Briggs I. [מָ֫שֶׁל noun [masculine] likeness, one like; only suffix מָשְׁלוֺ Job 41:25 his likeness, i.e. one like him. II. [מ֫שֶׁל] noun [masculine] dominion; — suffix עַדיָֿםמָשְׁלוֺמִיָּם Zechariah 9:10 (of Messianic king); כְּמָשְׁלוֺ אֲשֶׁר מָשָׁ֑ל Daniel 11:4 (of Alexander). Topical Lexicon Meaning and Nuances The noun משֶׁל conveys the idea of rule, dominion, or matchlessness. Depending on context it can denote the authority one exercises or, conversely, the complete absence of an equal. The term therefore oscillates between “dominion” (Daniel 11:4; Zechariah 9:10) and “equal/peer” (Job 41:33), two complementary facets of the same concept: what has no equal inevitably rules. Canonical Occurrences Job 41:33—Comparison Without Rival “Nothing on earth is his equal—a creature devoid of fear.” (Job 41:33) Spoken by the Lord, the statement about Leviathan employs משֶׁל to underscore the creature’s uniqueness. The literary aim is to humble Job by showcasing God’s creative power: if even a creature has no earthly equal, how much more the Creator Himself (cf. Exodus 15:11; Isaiah 46:9). Daniel 11:4—Transient Dominion of Empires “But at the height of his power, his kingdom will be broken up … nor will it have the power he exercised.” (Daniel 11:4) Here משֶׁל is rendered “power” or “dominion.” The prophecy, commonly understood as referring to Alexander the Great, highlights how every human משֶׁל is subject to fragmentation and divine overruling (Psalm 22:28). The vocabulary exposes the limits of earthly supremacy. Zechariah 9:10—Universal Dominion of Messiah “His dominion will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.” (Zechariah 9:10) In contrast to Daniel’s fading empire, Zechariah speaks of an unending, peaceful משֶׁל that belongs to the coming King heralded in Zechariah 9:9. The verse anticipates Jesus Christ’s universal reign (Luke 1:33; 1 Corinthians 15:25), establishing that the only dominion without end is the Messiah’s. Biblical-Theological Trajectory 1. Unrivaled sovereignty: משֶׁל consistently points to supremacy without rival, whether of Leviathan, a world ruler, or the Messiah. Historical Considerations • Post-exilic Israel heard Zechariah’s promise amid Persian and later Greek control, stoking hope for a different kind of king. Pastoral and Ministry Application • Exalt Christ’s lordship: Zechariah 9:10 invites believers to rest in the comprehensive authority of Jesus over every sphere. Related Themes and Cross References Dominion—Genesis 1:28; Psalm 72:8; Revelation 11:15 Unrivaled Deity—Isaiah 40:25; Jeremiah 10:6 Messianic Kingdom—Psalm 2; Micah 4:1-4 Frailty of Human Power—Psalm 146:3-4; James 4:14 Forms and Transliterations וּמָשְׁלוֹ֙ ומשלו כְמָשְׁלוֹ֙ כמשלו מָשְׁל֑וֹ משלו chemasheLo ḵə·mā·šə·lōw ḵəmāšəlōw mā·šə·lōw māšəlōw masheLo ū·mā·šə·lōw ūmāšəlōw umasheLoLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Job 41:33 HEB: עָפָ֥ר מָשְׁל֑וֹ הֶ֝עָשׂ֗וּ לִבְלִי־ NAS: on earth is like him, One made KJV: Upon earth there is not his like, who is made INT: earth is like made without Daniel 11:4 Zechariah 9:10 3 Occurrences |
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