Word Study for H4923 (מְשַׁמָּה)

mᵉshammâh /mesh-am-maw'/ Ask about this word

Meaninga waste or amazement

KJV usageastonishment, desolate.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of mᵉshammâh — 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 mᵉshammâh, represented by H4923, describes a state of a waste or amazement; astonishment, desolate. Derived from the root H8074 shâmêm, it appears 7 times in 7 unique verses. The term is used to convey intense desolation, often as a result of divine judgment, and the astonishment it causes.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the prophetic books, H4923 is used to illustrate the consequences of sin. The Lord declares through Ezekiel that the land of Israel will be made "most desolate" (Ezekiel 33:28, Ezekiel 35:3) because of the people's abominations Ezekiel 33:29. This desolation extends to nature, as seen in the prophecies against Moab where the waters of Nimrim "shall be desolate" (Isaiah 15:6, Jeremiah 48:34). Beyond physical ruin, the word also signifies the reaction to God's actions, where His judgment becomes "an astonishment unto the nations" Ezekiel 5:15.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words clarify the scope of desolation and its impact:

H8074 shâmêm (make amazed, be astonied, desolate): As the root of H4923, this verb describes the act of causing devastation or being stunned. It is used to describe how the mountains of Israel "shall be desolate" Ezekiel 33:28.
H8077 shᵉmâmâh (devastation, desolation): This feminine noun is often paired directly with H4923 to intensify the meaning, as when the Lord makes the land "most desolate" (Ezekiel 33:29, Ezekiel 35:3).
H2781 cherpâh (reproach, shame): This word appears alongside H4923 to describe the outcome of judgment, which will be "a reproach and a taunt, an instruction and an astonishment" Ezekiel 5:15.
H4057 midbâr (wilderness, desert): This term provides a benchmark for the severity of the desolation, with God vowing to make the land "more desolate H4923 than the wilderness" Ezekiel 6:14.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H4923 is centered on the consequences of God's judgment:

Judgment on Sin: The word is directly tied to divine retribution. The land is laid desolate "because of all their abominations which they have committed" Ezekiel 33:29.
A Public Spectacle: The desolation is not a private matter. It is intended to be a visible sign, serving as "a reproach and a taunt, an instruction and an astonishment unto the nations" Ezekiel 5:15, demonstrating the seriousness of defying God.
Revelation of God's Identity: The ultimate purpose of this judgment is revelatory. The desolation leads to the acknowledgment of God's authority, as stated in the recurring phrase, "and they shall know that I am the LORD" (Ezekiel 6:14, Ezekiel 33:29).

Summary

In summary, H4923 mᵉshammâh is a powerful prophetic term that encapsulates both a state of profound physical desolation and the resulting emotional shock of astonishment. It is not a word of random destruction but one that points to purposeful, divine judgment against sin. Through its use, scripture illustrates that the consequences of rebellion are severe and visible, ultimately serving to reveal the undisputed sovereignty of the LORD.

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 7 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.

מְשַׁמָּה
מְשַׁמּוֹת

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 7 verses across 3 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Ezekiel (5 verses); never once in the other 36.

Isaiah

Jeremiah

Ezekiel

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.