English · KJV
H4917

מִשְׁלַחַת

mishlachath /mish-lakh'-ath/ Ask about this word
Rootfeminine of מִשְׁלוֹחַ
Meaninga mission, i.e. (abstractly and favorable) release, or (concretely and unfavorable) an army
KJV usagedischarge, sending.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of mishlachath — 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 mishlachath, represented by H4917, denotes a mission or a sending. It appears only 2 times in 2 unique verses, carrying a specific meaning in each context. Its base definition includes concepts ranging from a favorable release or discharge to the unfavorable dispatch of an army.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The two uses of H4917 illustrate its distinct applications. In Psalms 78:49, it refers to an act of divine judgment, where God's anger is expressed through the sending of evil angels. This is a mission of wrath. Conversely, in Ecclesiastes 8:8, the word is translated as discharge, highlighting a human limitation. The verse states that in the war against death, there is no discharge, meaning no one has the power to gain a release from it.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the contexts in which H4917 is used:

  • H4397 mălʼâk (messenger; angel): This word is the object of the "sending" in Psalms 78:49, where God sends evil angels as an instrument of his wrath.
  • H2740 chârôwn (a burning of anger; fierce(-ness)): This term appears with H4917 in Psalms 78:49 to describe the fierceness of God's anger that accompanies the sending of trouble.
  • H4422 mâlaṭ (to escape; deliver): In Ecclesiastes 8:8, it is stated that wickedness cannot deliver those who practice it, reinforcing the theme that there is no escape or discharge from death.
  • H7989 shallîyṭ (potent; that hath power): This word is used in Ecclesiastes 8:8 to emphasize that man has no power over the day of his death, making a discharge impossible.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H4917 is found in its contrasting applications of a "mission":

  • A Mission of Divine Judgment: In Psalms 78:49, the "sending" is an active delegation of God's judicial anger. It is a dispatched force comprising his fierceness H2740, wrath H5678, indignation H2195, and trouble H6869.
  • The Impossibility of Human Release: The concept of "discharge" in Ecclesiastes 8:8 speaks to the finality of the human condition. In the ultimate conflict with death, there is no mission of release that one can obtain; it is an inescapable reality.

Summary

In summary, H4917 is a rare but potent term. Though used only twice, it powerfully conveys the idea of a "mission" or "sending" from two different perspectives. It illustrates God's sovereign authority to dispatch His wrath through a mission of angels Psalms 78:49 while also defining the human inability to secure a discharge or release from the inescapable reality of death Ecclesiastes 8:8.

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.

  • מִשְׁלַחַת
  • מִשְׁלַחַת

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H4397 מֲלְאָךְ from an unused root meaning to despatch as a deputy; a messenger; specifically, of God, i.e. an angel (also a prophet, p H2740 חָרוֹן or (shortened) חָרֹן; from חָרָה; a burning of anger; sore displeasure, fierce(-ness), fury, (fierce) wrath(-ful). H4422 מָלַט a primitive root; properly, to be smooth, i.e. (by implication) to escape (as if by slipperiness); causatively, to relea H7989 שַׁלִּיט from שָׁלַט; potent; concretely, a prince or warrior; governor, mighty, that hath power, ruler. H5678 עֶבְרָה feminine of עֵבֶר; an outburst of passion; anger, rage, wrath. H2195 זַעַם from זָעַם; strictly froth at the mouth, i.e. (figuratively) fury (especially of God's displeasure with sin); angry, ind

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

Appears in 2 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Psalms and Ecclesiastes (1 verse each); never once in the other 37.

1
Psalms
1
Ecclesiastes

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.