a primitive root; to dissolve; make to consume away, (make to) melt, water.
Transliteration:mâçâh
Pronunciation:maw-saw'
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### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew root mâçâh (`{{H4529}}`) is a primitive verb primarily conveying the concept of dissolution, melting, or causing to waste away. At its core, it describes a process of disintegration, often implying a loss of form, strength, or substance. Its semantic range extends to:
* **Physical Melting:** The literal process of a solid substance, such as wax or metal, changing into a liquid state due to heat. This denotes a complete loss of original form and solidity.
* **Emotional/Psychological Dissolution:** Figuratively applied to the human heart or courage, signifying a complete loss of resolve, spirit, or fortitude, typically due to overwhelming fear, dread, or despair. This implies a psychological collapse.
* **Consumption/Wasting Away:** A broader sense implying a gradual diminishment, decay, or destruction, where something is consumed or vanishes.
* **Figurative "Watering":** While less direct, the idea of something becoming fluid or losing its structural integrity can be inferred, leading to a state of being "watered down" or weakened.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The root mâçâh appears in various contexts, often employed with vivid, impactful imagery to convey the profound effects of divine power or overwhelming circumstances.
* **Physical Melting:**
* In [[Psalm 68:2]], the psalmist proclaims, "As wax melts before the fire, so let the wicked perish before God." Here, mâçâh graphically illustrates the utter destruction and disappearance of the wicked, likened to wax losing its form and substance under intense heat, signifying complete annihilation.
* Similarly, [[Psalm 97:5]] declares, "The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth." This hyperbolic imagery emphasizes God's immense power and majesty, before which even the most solid and imposing elements of creation are reduced to nothing, underscoring divine omnipotence and the terrifying aspect of His presence.
* **Emotional/Psychological Melting (Loss of Courage/Spirit):** This is perhaps the most frequent and poignant use of mâçâh.
* [[Exodus 15:15]] describes the reaction of surrounding nations to God's miraculous deliverance of Israel: "Then were the chiefs of Edom dismayed; the leaders of Moab, trembling grips them; all the inhabitants of Canaan melt away." This portrays the terror and despair that gripped these nations, causing their courage and will to resist to completely dissolve.
* In [[Joshua 2:9]], Rahab confesses to the Israelite spies, "I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that dread of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you." This confirms the widespread demoralization and loss of resolve among the Canaanites due to the fear of God's presence with Israel.
* [[Deuteronomy 1:28]] recounts the spies' disheartening report, which caused the people's hearts to "melt" (lose courage) at the prospect of facing the Anakim, leading to their rebellion and subsequent wilderness wandering.
* Prophetically, [[Isaiah 13:7]] foretells judgment upon Babylon, stating, "Therefore all hands will be feeble, and every human heart will melt." This depicts a scene of widespread despair, utter lack of strength, and psychological collapse in the face of impending calamity.
### Related Words & Concepts
The semantic field of mâçâh is enriched by its connections to other Hebrew terms that describe states of weakening, fear, or dissolution:
* **`{{H4127}}` (mûq):** This verb is a close synonym, also meaning "to melt, dissolve." It is often used in parallel or interchangeably with mâçâh in poetic contexts, particularly when describing the melting of the earth or mountains under divine judgment.
* **`{{H3423}}` (yâra'):** "To fear, be afraid." While yâra' describes the emotion of fear itself, mâçâh often describes the *effect* of intense fear—the complete dissolution of courage and internal strength. The fear yâra' causes the heart to mâçâh.
* **`{{H5969}}` (ʿâlap):** "To faint, grow weak, be overwhelmed." This term shares the idea of a loss of strength or consciousness, but mâçâh specifically emphasizes a complete internal dissolution of courage rather than a physical collapse.
* **`{{H7503}}` (râphâ):** "To sink, grow slack, faint, abandon." Similar to ʿâlap, râphâ denotes a weakening or slackening. Mâçâh conveys a more profound and total loss of inner fortitude.
* **Divine Judgment and Presence:** The concept of God's overwhelming presence or active judgment is a key context for mâçâh, as His power causes both physical elements and human resolve to dissolve.
* **Weakness, Despair, Terror:** These are the emotional and psychological states frequently depicted by the "melting" of hearts or courage.
### Theological Significance
The verb mâçâh carries profound theological weight, powerfully illustrating several key aspects of biblical theology:
* **God's Overwhelming Power and Sovereignty:** Mâçâh vividly portrays the incomparable might of God. Before Him, even the most formidable elements of creation (mountains) lose their form, and the strongest human resolve (hearts of nations) dissolves into terror. This underscores God's absolute control over creation and human affairs, demonstrating that nothing can stand against His will or His presence.
* **Consequences of Opposition to God:** The "melting" of the wicked or their courage signifies their utter inability to withstand divine judgment or the instruments of God's will. It speaks to the inevitability of their demise or subjugation when they stand against the Lord.
* **Human Vulnerability and the Impact of Divine Encounter:** The "melting heart" serves as a potent metaphor for human frailty and the profound psychological impact of encountering God's power or facing overwhelming circumstances ordained by Him. It speaks to a complete loss of internal fortitude, signaling utter despair and terror.
* **The Transience of Creation:** In contexts where mountains melt, mâçâh subtly points to the ephemeral nature of all created things in contrast to the eternal, immutable character of God. All that is physical and seemingly permanent is subject to dissolution before the Creator.
### Summary
The Hebrew root mâçâh (`{{H4529}}`) fundamentally means to dissolve, melt, or cause to waste away. Its usage in the Old Testament extends from the literal melting of physical substances like wax ([[Psalm 68:2]], [[Psalm 97:5]]) to, more frequently and powerfully, the figurative melting of human hearts and courage due to overwhelming fear or despair ([[Exodus 15:15]], [[Joshua 2:9]], [[Isaiah 13:7]]). This vivid imagery underscores the unparalleled power and sovereignty of God, before whom even the most formidable elements of creation and the strongest human resolve are rendered powerless. The "melting heart" serves as a profound metaphor for human vulnerability and the psychological impact of divine judgment or overwhelming circumstances. Theologically, mâçâh magnifies God's absolute might, demonstrating that nothing can withstand His presence, and highlights the transient nature of all created things in comparison to the eternal, unchanging character of the Lord.