from נָסַע; a departure (from striking the tents), i.e. march (not necessarily a single day's travel); by implication, a station (or point of departure); journey(-ing).
### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **maççaʻ**, represented by `{{H4550}}`, refers to a **departure** or **journey**. It appears **12 times** across **11 unique verses** in the Bible. Derived from the root `{{H5265}}` **nâçaʻ** (to pull up, start on a journey), its meaning encompasses a march, a station, or the act of journeying itself, often implying more than a single day's travel.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical narrative, `{{H4550}}` is overwhelmingly used to describe the wanderings of the Israelites after the Exodus. The entire record of their movements is called "the **journeys** of the children of Israel" [[Numbers 33:1]]. These movements were not random but were divinely guided; they went onward in all their **journeys** when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle [[Exodus 40:36]] and proceeded "according to the commandment of the LORD" [[Exodus 17:1]]. The word is also used for Abraham's travel to Bethel [[Genesis 13:3]] and for the command given to Moses to lead the people on their final **journey** into the promised land [[Deuteronomy 10:11]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words provide a fuller picture of the concept of a divinely led march:
* `{{H5265}}` **nâçaʻ** (start on a journey): As the primitive root of `{{H4550}}`, this verb describes the physical act of beginning a trip, such as pulling up tent-pins. It is used when the Israelites **set forward** on their journeyings [[Numbers 10:28]].
* `{{H4161}}` **môwtsâʼ** (a going forth): This noun is used in parallel with `{{H4550}}` to describe the stages of the Exodus. Moses recorded the Israelites' "**goings out** according to their **journeys**" [[Numbers 33:2]], highlighting each departure point.
* `{{H6635}}` **tsâbâʼ** (army, host): This term reveals the organized nature of Israel's travels. They moved not as a disorganized crowd but "according to their **armies**" [[Numbers 10:28]], emphasizing a disciplined, military-style progression.
* `{{H6310}}` **peh** (mouth, commandment): The journeys were undertaken "according to the **commandment** of the LORD" [[Exodus 17:1]]. This shows that each stage of the journey was an act of obedience to God's direct word.
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H4550}}` is tied to God's relationship with Israel during the Exodus.
* **Divine Command and Obedience:** The journeys were not undertaken by human initiative but "by the **commandment** `{{H6310}}` of the LORD" [[Numbers 33:2]]. Each **maççaʻ** was a test and demonstration of Israel's obedience to God's word.
* **Visible Divine Guidance:** God’s presence visibly led the people throughout all their **journeys** `{{H4550}}` via the cloud and fire on the tabernacle [[Exodus 40:38]]. This established a pattern of depending on God's direct guidance for every step.
* **Ordered Progression:** The use of `{{H4550}}` in connection with trumpets for the "**journeying** of the camps" [[Numbers 10:2]] and the description of Israel moving by their "**armies**" `{{H6635}}` [[Numbers 10:28]] shows that the wilderness wandering was not chaos, but a divinely ordered march toward a promised destination.
* **Memorial of Faithfulness:** Moses was instructed to write down the record of the **journeys** [[Numbers 33:2]]. This created a permanent testament to God's faithfulness in guiding His people from Egypt toward the land promised to their fathers [[Deuteronomy 10:11]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H4550}}` **maççaʻ** is more than a simple word for travel. It specifically denotes the stages of a divinely initiated and guided pilgrimage. Primarily used to chronicle Israel's journey from Egypt, it encapsulates the themes of obedience to God's command, dependence on His visible guidance, and the ordered progression of His people. The word illustrates how a physical act of departure becomes a foundational element in the story of God's faithfulness to His covenant people.
TRV