4951. misrah

Lexical Summary

misrah: Dominion, government, rule

Original Word: מִשְׂרָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: misrah
Pronunciation: mis-raw'
Phonetic Spelling: (mis-raw')
KJV: government
NASB: government
Word Origin: [from H8280 (שָׂרָה - contended)]

1. empire

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

government

From sarah; empire -- government.

see HEBREW sarah

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
rule, dominion
NASB Translation
government (2).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

מִשְׂרָה noun feminine rule, dominion; — Isaiah 9:5; Isaiah 9:6.

Topical Lexicon

Meaning and Scope

מִשְׂרָה (misrāh) designates governmental authority, dominion, or rule. In Scripture its range is restricted to the reign of the promised Davidic King, underscoring a sovereignty that is at once political, spiritual, and eternal.

Canonical Context and Occurrences

1. Isaiah 9:6 – “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders…”.
2. Isaiah 9:7 – “Of the greatness of His government and peace there will be no end…”.

Both instances stand in the same oracle (Isaiah 9:1-7) and therefore form a single witness to God’s plan for the Messiah’s everlasting dominion.

Historical Setting

Isaiah’s prophecy was delivered during the Assyrian menace of the eighth century BC. Judah faced political turbulence that exposed the weakness of human rule. By introducing misrāh, Isaiah lifted the nation’s eyes beyond immediate threats to the certainty of a righteous, divinely established kingdom rooted in the Davidic covenant (2 Samuel 7:12-16).

Messianic Significance

Misrāh is inseparably linked to the Person of Christ.
• Incarnation – The rule rests on the shoulders of the Child who is simultaneously “Mighty God” (Isaiah 9:6), affirming the union of deity and humanity.
• Eternal kingship – “Of the greatness of His government… there will be no end” (Isaiah 9:7), echoing the promise that David’s throne is forever.
• Peace – His dominion is characterized by shalom, achieved not through coercion but through righteous judgment and atoning sacrifice (Isaiah 53:5).

New Testament writers allude to this reign: Luke 1:32-33 (“He will reign over the house of Jacob forever”) and Revelation 11:15 (“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever”).

Theological Themes

1. Divine Sovereignty – Misrāh affirms that all human governance is provisional before God’s ultimate rule (Psalm 22:28).
2. Covenant Fulfillment – The term ties Isaiah to God’s oath to David; what begins in Bethlehem extends unbroken to the new heavens and new earth.
3. Incarnational Mediatorship – Government placed “upon His shoulders” portrays Christ bearing responsibility for His people, later mirrored when He carries the cross (John 19:17).
4. Expansive Peace – The increase (“greatness”) of misrāh indicates a dynamic, ever-growing kingdom that encompasses every tribe and nation (Isaiah 11:9; Matthew 28:18-20).

Continuity Through the Canon

• Anticipation – Psalm 2:6-9 proclaims the installation of God’s King on Zion.
• Inauguration – Jesus’ proclamation, “The kingdom of God is at hand” (Mark 1:15), signals the dawning of misrāh.
• Realization – Ephesians 1:20-22 depicts Christ seated far above all authority, with everything placed under His feet.
• Consummation – Revelation 19:16 shows the King of kings exercising uncontested dominion.

Practical Ministry Implications

1. Preaching Christ’s Lordship – The church proclaims a present and future reign that summons every heart to repentance and allegiance (Acts 2:36).
2. Worship – Adoration of the enthroned Lamb (Revelation 5:11-13) is shaped by misrāh’s assurance that worship is directed toward the true Ruler.
3. Discipleship and Ethics – Believers live as citizens of a superior kingdom, embodying righteousness, justice, and peace (Romans 14:17) in anticipation of the full manifestation of His rule.
4. Hope Amid Political Unrest – Isaiah’s audience learned that earthly powers rise and fall under God’s sovereignty; so today, Christians rest in the certainty that “the government will be upon His shoulders.”

Summary

מִשְׂרָה appears only twice, yet its theological weight is immense. It anchors Isaiah’s vision of a Child-King whose dominion is limitless, righteous, and everlasting. By focusing on this term, Scripture directs believers to confess that ultimate authority resides not in human institutions but in Jesus Christ, whose kingdom is advancing until every knee bows and every tongue confesses His lordship (Philippians 2:9-11).

Forms and Transliterations

הַמִּשְׂרָ֖ה הַמִּשְׂרָ֜ה המשרה ham·miś·rāh hammisRah hammiśrāh

Englishman's Concordance

Isaiah 9:6
HEB: לָ֔נוּ וַתְּהִ֥י הַמִּשְׂרָ֖ה עַל־ שִׁכְמ֑וֹ
NAS: will be given to us; And the government will rest
KJV: is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder:
INT: will be given will rest and the government on his shoulders

Isaiah 9:7
HEB: (לְמַרְבֵּ֨ה ק) הַמִּשְׂרָ֜ה וּלְשָׁל֣וֹם אֵֽין־
NAS: to the increase of [His] government or of peace,
KJV: Of the increase of [his] government and peace
INT: great of government of peace There

2 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 4951
2 Occurrences

ham·miś·rāh — 2 Occ.