4959. mashash
Lexicon
mashash: To feel, to grope

Original Word: מָשַׁשׁ
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: mashash
Pronunciation: mah-shash
Phonetic Spelling: (maw-shash')
Definition: To feel, to grope
Meaning: to feel of, to grope

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
feel, grope, search

A primitive root; to feel of; by implication, to grope -- feel, grope, search.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to feel, grope
NASB Translation
feel (1), felt (2), felt through (2), grope (3), gropes (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
[מָשַׁשׁ] verb feel, grope (Late Hebrew id. Pi`el; Arabic feel; Ethiopic Di166; Aramaic , מְשַׁשׁ Pa`el, Palpel — see also ימשׁ, II. מושׁ); —

Qal Imperfect3masculine singular suffix יְמֻשֵּׁנִי Genesis 27:12 perhaps my father will feel me; וַיְמֻשֵּׁהוּ Genesis 27:22 and he felt of him (both J).

Pi`el Perfect2masculine singular מִשַּׁשְׁתָּ; Imperfect3masculine singular יְמַשֵּׁשׁ Deuteronomy 28:29, וַיְמַשֵּׁשׁ Genesis 31:34; 3masculine plural יִמַשְׁשׁוּ Job 5:4; Job 12:25; Participle מְמַשֵּׁשׁ Deuteronomy 28:29; — feel over or through, grope:

1 לָבָּן אֶתכָּֿלהָֿאֹהֶל ׳וַיְמ Genesis 31:24 and Laban felt through the whole tent (i.e. searched it); so (object כֵּלַי) Genesis 31:37 thou hast felt through all my possessions (or baggage; both E).

2 grope, of blind Deuteronomy 28:29b (in simile), periphrase conjectural, וְהָיִיתָ מְמַשֵּׁשׁDeuteronomy 28:29 a and thou shalt become one that gropes at noonday (figurative of judicial blindness); compare Job 5:14; Job 12:25.

Hiph`il Imperfect וְיָמֵשׁ חשֶׁךְ Exodus 10:21 that one may feel (the) darkness; read also Imperative suffix הֲמִשֵׁנִי (for והימשׁני, see ימשׁ, p. 413 above) Judges 16:26 and let me touch the pillars (2 accusative)

מִשְׁתֶּה see שׁתה. מֵת see מות. p 559,1059

Topical Lexicon
Word Origin: A primitive root

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: G2045 (ἐρευνάω, ereunáō): To search, examine, or investigate. This Greek term shares a conceptual link with מָשַׁשׁ in the sense of seeking or probing, though it is more often used in the context of searching for knowledge or truth.

G5584 (ψηλαφάω, psēlapháō): To feel or touch, often used in the context of groping or handling. This Greek term closely parallels the Hebrew מָשַׁשׁ in its literal sense of feeling or groping, particularly in situations of darkness or blindness.

Usage: The verb מָשַׁשׁ (māšash) is used in the Hebrew Bible to describe the act of feeling or groping, often in the context of searching or moving without sight. It conveys a sense of uncertainty or blindness, both physically and metaphorically.

Context: The Hebrew verb מָשַׁשׁ (māšash) appears in several contexts within the Old Testament, illustrating both literal and figurative uses. It is often associated with the act of groping in darkness or blindness, symbolizing a lack of direction or understanding. This term is used to describe the physical act of feeling one's way in the dark, as well as the metaphorical experience of spiritual or intellectual blindness.

In Deuteronomy 28:29, the term is used to describe the curse that will come upon those who disobey God's commandments: "You will grope at noon as a blind man gropes in the darkness, and you will not prosper in your ways." Here, the imagery of groping in daylight underscores the severity of the curse, highlighting a profound disorientation and helplessness.

Similarly, in Job 5:14, the term is employed to depict the plight of those who are confounded by their circumstances: "They encounter darkness by day and grope at noon as in the night." This usage emphasizes the confusion and lack of clarity experienced by those who are estranged from divine wisdom.

The verb also appears in Isaiah 59:10, where it describes the spiritual blindness of the people: "Like the blind, we grope along the wall, feeling our way like those without eyes." This passage uses the physical act of groping to illustrate a deeper spiritual truth about the people's separation from God and their need for His guidance.

Forms and Transliterations
וְיָמֵ֖שׁ וַיְמַשֵּׁ֥שׁ וַיְמֻשֵּׁ֑הוּ וימש וימשהו וימשש יְֽמַשְׁשׁ֥וּ יְמַֽשְׁשׁוּ־ יְמַשֵּׁ֤שׁ יְמֻשֵּׁ֙נִי֙ ימשני ימשש ימששו ימששו־ מְמַשֵּׁ֣שׁ מִשַּׁ֣שְׁתָּ ממשש מששת mə·maš·šêš memashShesh məmaššêš miš·šaš·tā mishShashta miššaštā vaymashShesh vaymushShehu veyaMesh way·maš·šêš way·muš·šê·hū waymaššêš waymuššêhū wə·yā·mêš wəyāmêš yə·maš·šêš yə·maš·šū yə·maš·šū- yə·muš·šê·nî yemashShesh yemashShu yəmaššêš yəmaššū yəmaššū- yemushSheni yəmuššênî
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Genesis 27:12
HEB: אוּלַ֤י יְמֻשֵּׁ֙נִי֙ אָבִ֔י וְהָיִ֥יתִי
NAS: my father will feel me, then I will be as a deceiver
KJV: My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem
INT: Perhaps will feel my father become

Genesis 27:22
HEB: יִצְחָ֥ק אָבִ֖יו וַיְמֻשֵּׁ֑הוּ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הַקֹּל֙
NAS: his father, and he felt him and said,
KJV: his father; and he felt him, and said,
INT: Isaac his father felt and said the voice

Genesis 31:34
HEB: וַתֵּ֣שֶׁב עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם וַיְמַשֵּׁ֥שׁ לָבָ֛ן אֶת־
NAS: on them. And Laban felt through all
KJV: upon them. And Laban searched all the tent,
INT: sat and felt and Laban all

Genesis 31:37
HEB: כִּֽי־ מִשַּׁ֣שְׁתָּ אֶת־ כָּל־
NAS: Though you have felt through all
KJV: Whereas thou hast searched all my stuff,
INT: Though have felt all my goods

Exodus 10:21
HEB: אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם וְיָמֵ֖שׁ חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃
NAS: even a darkness which may be felt.
KJV: even darkness [which] may be felt.
INT: the land of Egypt may be felt A darkness

Deuteronomy 28:29
HEB: וְהָיִ֜יתָ מְמַשֵּׁ֣שׁ בַּֽצָּהֳרַ֗יִם כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר
NAS: and you will grope at noon,
KJV: And thou shalt grope at noonday,
INT: become will grope noon after

Deuteronomy 28:29
HEB: בַּֽצָּהֳרַ֗יִם כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר יְמַשֵּׁ֤שׁ הָעִוֵּר֙ בָּאֲפֵלָ֔ה
NAS: as the blind man gropes in darkness,
KJV: as the blind gropeth in darkness,
INT: noon after gropes as the blind darkness

Job 5:14
HEB: חֹ֑שֶׁךְ וְ֝כַלַּ֗יְלָה יְֽמַשְׁשׁ֥וּ בַֽצָּהֳרָֽיִם׃
NAS: with darkness, And grope at noon
KJV: in the daytime, and grope in the noonday
INT: darkness the night and grope noon

Job 12:25
HEB: יְמַֽשְׁשׁוּ־ חֹ֥שֶׁךְ וְלֹא־
NAS: They grope in darkness with no
KJV: They grope in the dark without light,
INT: grope darkness no

9 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 4959
9 Occurrences


mə·maš·šêš — 1 Occ.
miš·šaš·tā — 1 Occ.
way·maš·šêš — 1 Occ.
way·muš·šê·hū — 1 Occ.
wə·yā·mêš — 1 Occ.
yə·maš·šêš — 1 Occ.
yə·maš·šū — 2 Occ.
yə·muš·šê·nî — 1 Occ.















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