Word Study for H4876 (מַשּׁוּאָה)

mashshûwʼâh /mash-shoo-aw'/ Ask about this word

Rootor מַשֻּׁאָה · for מְשׁוֹאָה

Meaningruin

KJV usagedesolation, destruction.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of mashshûwʼâh — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word mashshûwʼâh, represented by H4876, denotes ruin; desolation, destruction. It appears 2 times across 2 unique verses in the Bible, signifying its use in describing profound and complete states of ruin.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, H4876 describes a state of finality and utter ruin. It is used to portray the ultimate end of the wicked, whom God casts down into destruction from their seemingly secure but "slippery places" Psalms 73:18. The word also characterizes the aftermath of an enemy's attack on the sanctuary, resulting in "perpetual desolations" that are so severe they warrant a direct appeal to God Psalms 74:3.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help to frame the context of this ruin and destruction:

H2513 chelqâh (slippery place): This word, meaning an allotment or figuratively a slippery place, is directly linked to destruction. God sets the wicked in slippery places before casting them down into ruin Psalms 73:18.
H341 ʼôyêb (enemy, foe): An enemy is identified as the direct cause of desolation. The psalmist points to the actions of the enemy who has done wickedly in the sanctuary, resulting in perpetual desolations Psalms 74:3.
H5307 nâphal (to fall): This primitive root, meaning to fall, describes the action that leads to destruction. It is used to show God actively causing the wicked to be castedst... down into destruction from their precarious positions Psalms 73:18.
H7489 râʻaʻ (do harm, do wicked): The state of desolation is explicitly caused by those who do wickedly. The ruin of the sanctuary is a direct result of the enemy's wicked actions Psalms 74:3.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H4876 is significant, highlighting severe consequences and divine justice.

Divine Judgment on the Wicked: The word is used to describe the ultimate fate of the wicked, whom God himself sets in "slippery places" before casting them down into destruction Psalms 73:18. This portrays ruin not as an accident, but as a direct consequence of divine justice.
The Desecration of the Holy: In the context of the sanctuary, desolations are the result of an enemy's wicked actions against a holy place Psalms 74:3. This highlights the severe impact of sin and hostility directed toward God's presence and people.
A State of Perpetual Ruin: The term is associated with a lasting state of ruin, described as "perpetual desolations" Psalms 74:3. This emphasizes a condition so severe that it calls for divine attention and intervention.

Summary

In summary, H4876 mashshûwʼâh is a potent and specific term for utter ruin. While its appearances are rare, they powerfully illustrate the concepts of divine judgment against wickedness and the catastrophic consequences of enmity toward God. The word conveys a sense of finality and devastation that is beyond human repair, serving as a stark depiction of desolation within the biblical narrative.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 2 occurrences, inflected in 2 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

מַשּׁוּאוֹת
מַשֻּׁאוֹת

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

2 verses, all in Psalms — and none of the other 38 Old Testament books.

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.