מִקְשֶׁה

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word miqsheh, represented by H4748, refers to well (set) hair. It appears just 1 time across 1 unique verse in the Bible. The term derives from a root meaning "to knot up round and hard," and thus describes something turned or rounded, like the curls of elaborate tresses.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The single biblical use of H4748 occurs in a prophecy of judgment in Isaiah 3:24. Here, it is part of a list of reversals where items of luxury and feminine beauty are stripped away and replaced with signs of disgrace and mourning. In this context, "well set hair" is listed as an item of vanity that will be replaced by "baldness," a symbol of deep shame and loss.

Related Words & Concepts

Several words from its sole context in Isaiah 3:24 highlight the theme of judgment through reversal:

• H7144 qorchâh (baldness; bald(-ness), [idiom] utterly): This is the direct consequence and antithesis of H4748 in the judgment, representing mourning and disgrace instead of beauty Isaiah 3:24.
• H3308 yŏphîy (beauty; beauty): This word frames the entire list of judgments, as the passage concludes that physical beauty will be replaced by "burning" Isaiah 3:24, emphasizing the vanity of external appearance.
• H1314 besem (fragrance; by implication, spicery; also the balsam plant; smell, spice, sweet (odour)): This term begins the series of contrasts in the verse, where "sweet smell" is replaced with "stink," setting a pattern of reversal from honor to dishonor Isaiah 3:24.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H4748 is derived entirely from its pointed use in Isaiah's prophecy.

• Symbol of Worldly Pride: "Well set hair" stands as a potent symbol of vanity and misplaced confidence in external appearance, which invites divine judgment Isaiah 3:24.
• The Nature of Divine Judgment: The word's context illustrates that judgment often manifests as a direct reversal of the object of pride. The intricate hairstyle is replaced by its stark opposite, baldness, signifying the complete stripping of worldly honor.
• Transience of Earthly Beauty: The prophecy uses the loss of well set hair H4748 and beauty H3308 to teach that physical adornments are fleeting and worthless when compared to spiritual righteousness.

Summary

In summary, while H4748 is an exceptionally rare word, its single appearance is highly significant. It serves as a specific and vivid example of worldly vanity within a broader theological statement in Isaiah 3:24. The term powerfully illustrates the biblical theme that God will humble the proud, reversing symbols of earthly status and beauty into marks of judgment and disgrace.