4937. mish'en

Lexicon

mish'en: Support, staff, stay

Original Word: מִשְׁעֵן
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: mish`en
Pronunciation: mish-EN
Phonetic Spelling: (mish-ane')
Definition: Support, staff, stay
Meaning: a support, a protector, sustenance

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

stay

Or mishtan {mish-awn'}; from sha'an; a support (concretely), i.e. (figuratively) a protector or sustenance -- stay.

see HEBREW sha'an

Brown-Driver-Briggs

מִשְׁעָן noun [masculine] support, staff; — absolute ׳מ, figurative of ׳י, 2 Samuel 22:19 = Psalm 18:19; construct כֹּל מִשְׁעַןלֶֿחֶם וְכֹל מִשְׁעַןמָֿ֑יִם Isaiah 3:1 (gloss, see Commentaries).

מַשְׁעֵן noun masculine id.; — absolute וּמַשְׁעֵנָה ׳מ Isaiah 3:1 figurative support and staff.

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from the root שָׁעַן (sha'an), which means "to lean on" or "to support."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • G2479 (ἰσχύς, ischus): Refers to strength or might, often used in the context of physical or moral power.
• G2480 (ἰσχύω, ischuo): Means to be strong, to have power, or to prevail, indicating the ability to provide support or protection.
• G5349 (φύλαξ, phulax): Refers to a guard or protector, someone who watches over or defends, aligning with the protective aspect of מִשְׁעֵן.

These Greek terms, while not direct translations, share thematic elements with מִשְׁעֵן, emphasizing strength, protection, and the ability to support or sustain.

Usage: The word מִשְׁעֵן is used in the Hebrew Bible to describe physical or metaphorical support. It can refer to a literal object that provides support, such as a staff or crutch, or to a person or entity that offers protection or sustenance.

Context: • The term מִשְׁעֵן appears in various contexts within the Hebrew Scriptures, often highlighting the reliance on God or other forms of support. It is used to describe both physical supports, like a staff, and metaphorical supports, such as divine protection or provision.
• In Isaiah 3:1, the prophet speaks of the removal of support and sustenance from Jerusalem and Judah, using מִשְׁעֵן to emphasize the loss of essential stability and protection: "For behold, the Lord GOD of Hosts is about to remove from Jerusalem and Judah both supply and support, the whole supply of bread and water."
• The concept of מִשְׁעֵן underscores the importance of reliance on God as the ultimate source of support and sustenance, contrasting human or material supports that can fail or be removed.
• The word is also used in a broader sense to describe the role of leaders or protectors who provide guidance and security to their people, reflecting the societal and spiritual dimensions of support.

Forms and Transliterations

לְמִשְׁעָ֣ן למשען מִשְׁעַן־ מִשְׁעָ֖ן מַשְׁעֵ֖ן משען משען־ lə·miš·‘ān ləmiš‘ān lemishAn maš‘ên maš·‘ên mashEn miš‘ān miš‘an- miš·‘ān miš·‘an- mishAn

Englishman's Concordance

2 Samuel 22:19
HEB: וַיְהִ֧י יְהוָ֛ה מִשְׁעָ֖ן לִֽי׃
NAS: But the LORD was my support.
KJV: but the LORD was my stay.
INT: become the LORD was my support

Psalm 18:18
HEB: וַֽיְהִי־ יְהוָ֖ה לְמִשְׁעָ֣ן לִֽי׃
NAS: But the LORD was my stay.
KJV: but the LORD was my stay.
INT: become the LORD was my stay

Isaiah 3:1
HEB: מִירוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ וּמִ֣יהוּדָ֔ה מַשְׁעֵ֖ן וּמַשְׁעֵנָ֑ה כֹּ֚ל
NAS: and Judah Both supply and support,
KJV: and from Judah the stay and the staff,
INT: Jerusalem and Judah supply and support the whole

Isaiah 3:1
HEB: וּמַשְׁעֵנָ֑ה כֹּ֚ל מִשְׁעַן־ לֶ֔חֶם וְכֹ֖ל
NAS: the whole supply of bread
KJV: and the staff, the whole stay of bread,
INT: and support the whole supply of bread and the whole

Isaiah 3:1
HEB: לֶ֔חֶם וְכֹ֖ל מִשְׁעַן־ מָֽיִם׃
NAS: And the whole supply of water;
KJV: of bread, and the whole stay of water,
INT: of bread and the whole supply of water

5 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 4937
5 Occurrences

lə·miš·‘ān — 1 Occ.
maš·‘ên — 1 Occ.
miš·‘ān — 3 Occ.