What does מַס (mas) mean in the Bible?
מַס (mas): Forced labor tax that burdens and weakens; denotes both the corvée system and oppressive servitude imposed by kings
Hebrew · H4522
מַס
Properly, a burden (as causing to faint), i.e. a tax in the form of forced labor
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מַסH4522
Pronunciationmas
What does מַס (mas) mean in the Bible?
מַס (mas): Forced labor tax that burdens and weakens; denotes both the corvée system and oppressive servitude imposed by kings
Full entry for מַס (H4522) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H4522?
The BSB source-word alignment has 23 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include of the forced labor (4), as forced laborers (2), into forced labor (2), the forced labor (2), to forced labor (2).
Where does מַס (mas) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 49:15. Its strongest book concentrations include 1 Kings (7), Judges (4), 2 Chronicles (2), Joshua (2).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itof the forced labor4×1 Kings 5:14, 1 Kings 9:15, 1 Kings 12:18, 2 Chronicles 10:18
as forced laborers2×Judges 1:30, Judges 1:33
into forced labor2×Judges 1:28, Judges 1:35
the forced labor2×2 Samuel 20:24, 1 Kings 4:6
to forced labor2×Joshua 17:13, Isaiah 31:8
-1×1 Kings 5:13
. . .1×Exodus 1:11
a labor force1×1 Kings 5:13
a slave1×Lamentations 1:1
forced1×Joshua 16:10
forced labor1×Proverbs 12:24
forced laborers1×Deuteronomy 20:11
to be forced1×1 Kings 9:21
to be forced laborers1×2 Chronicles 8:8
to labor1×Genesis 49:15
tribute1×Esther 10:1
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 49:15לְמַס־toto laborPreposition-l | Noun - masculine singular constructExodus 1:11מִסִּ֔יםto. . .Noun - masculine pluralDeuteronomy 20:11לָמַ֖סtoforced laborersPreposition-l | Noun - masculine singularJoshua 16:10לְמַס־toforcedPreposition-l | Noun - masculine singular constructJoshua 17:13לָמַ֑סtoto forced laborPreposition-l | Noun - masculine singularJudges 1:28לָמַ֑סtointo forced laborPreposition-l | Noun - masculine singularJudges 1:30לָמַֽס׃סtoas forced laborersPreposition-l | Noun - masculine singularJudges 1:33לָמַֽס׃סtoas forced laborersPreposition-l | Noun - masculine singularJudges 1:35לָמַֽס׃tointo forced laborPreposition-l | Noun - masculine singular2 Samuel 20:24הַמַּ֑סtothe forced laborArticle | Noun - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 49:15
Aligned rows23
Books represented12
Genesis1Exodus1Deuteronomy1Joshua2Judges42 Samuel11 Kings72 Chronicles2Esther1Proverbs1Isaiah1Lamentations1
Source forms
הַמַּ֔ס3xham·mas1 Kings 5:13, 1 Kings 12:18, 2 Chronicles 10:18
לְמַס־3xlə·mas-Genesis 49:15, Joshua 16:10, 1 Kings 9:21
לָמַֽס׃ס3xlā·masJudges 1:30, Judges 1:33, Lamentations 1:1
הַמַּֽס׃ס2xham·mas1 Kings 4:6, 1 Kings 5:14
לָמַ֑ס2xlā·masJoshua 17:13, Judges 1:28
לָמַֽס׃2xlā·masJudges 1:35, Proverbs 12:24
הַמַּ֑ס1xham·mas2 Samuel 20:24
הַמַּ֜ס1xham·mas1 Kings 9:15
Parsing patterns
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular9xDeuteronomy 20:11, Joshua 17:13, Judges 1:28, Judges 1:30
Article | Noun - masculine singular7x2 Samuel 20:24, 1 Kings 4:6, 1 Kings 5:13, 1 Kings 5:14
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct4xGenesis 49:15, Joshua 16:10, 1 Kings 9:21, 2 Chronicles 8:8
Noun - masculine singular2x1 Kings 5:13, Esther 10:1
Noun - masculine plural1xExodus 1:11
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Forced labor tax that burdens and weakens; denotes both the corvée system and oppressive servitude imposed by kings
Source Gloss
properly, a burden (as causing to faint), i.e. a tax in the form of forced labor
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Forced labor tax that burdens and weakens; denotes both the corvée system and oppressive servitude imposed by kings
properly, a burden (as causing to faint), i.e. a tax in the form of forced labor BDB: body of forced labourers Usage: discomfited, levy, task(-master), tribute(-tary).
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
forced labor or servitude imposed as a burden on the diligent versus the lazy
Showing 1 selected witness from 23 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
מַס is built from this root:
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.