What does מְסִלָּה (mĕsillāh) mean in the Bible?
מְסִלָּה (mĕsillāh): Engineered pathway suggesting intentional construction and preparation, often used metaphorically for God's way or moral course
Hebrew · H4546
מְסִלָּה
A thoroughfare (as turnpiked ), literally or figuratively; specifically a viaduct , a staircase
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מְסִלָּה H4546
Pronunciation mĕsillāh
What does מְסִלָּה (mĕsillāh) mean in the Bible?
מְסִלָּה (mĕsillāh): Engineered pathway suggesting intentional construction and preparation, often used metaphorically for God's way or moral course
Full entry for מְסִלָּה (H4546) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H4546?
The BSB source-word alignment has 27 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include highway (3), the road (3), a highway (2), of the road (2), on the road (2).
Where does מְסִלָּה (mĕsillāh) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Numbers 20:19. Its strongest book concentrations include Isaiah (9), Judges (5), 2 Samuel (3), 1 Chronicles (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 It highway 3× 1 Samuel 6:12, 1 Chronicles 26:16, Isaiah 40:3
the road 3× 2 Samuel 20:12, 2 Samuel 20:13, Isaiah 7:3
a highway 2× Isaiah 11:16, Isaiah 19:23
of the road 2× Judges 21:19, 2 Samuel 20:12
on the road 2× 2 Kings 18:17, Isaiah 36:2
The highway 2× Proverbs 16:17, Isaiah 62:10
and My highways 1× Isaiah 49:11
and on the roads 1× Judges 20:31
are set on pilgrimage 1× Psalms 84:5
at the highway 1× 1 Chronicles 26:18
from their courses 1× Judges 5:20
in his path 1× Joel 2:8
into steps 1× 2 Chronicles 9:11
Keep the highway 1× Jeremiah 31:21
lie in their wake 1× Isaiah 59:7
on the main road 1× Numbers 20:19
on the roads 1× Judges 20:45
The highways 1× Isaiah 33:8
the roads 1× Judges 20:32
Show sample aligned rows
Numbers 20:19 בַּֽמְסִלָּ֣ה to on the main road Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular Judges 5:20 מִמְּסִלּוֹתָ֔ם to from their courses Preposition-m | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine plural Judges 20:31 בַּֽמְסִלּוֹת֙ to and on the roads Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine plural Judges 20:32 הַֽמְסִלּֽוֹת׃ to the roads Article | Noun - feminine plural Judges 20:45 בַּֽמְסִלּ֔וֹת to on the roads Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine plural Judges 21:19 לִמְסִלָּ֔ה to of the road Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular 1 Samuel 6:12 בִּמְסִלָּ֣ה to highway Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular 2 Samuel 20:12 הַֽמְסִּלָּ֑ה to of the road Article | Noun - feminine singular 2 Samuel 20:12 הַֽמְסִלָּ֤ה to the road Article | Noun - feminine singular 2 Samuel 20:13 הַֽמְסִלָּ֑ה to the road Article | Noun - feminine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Numbers 20:19
Aligned rows 27
Books represented 12
Numbers 1 Judges 5 1 Samuel 1 2 Samuel 3 2 Kings 1 1 Chronicles 2 2 Chronicles 1 Psalms 1 Proverbs 1 Isaiah 9 Jeremiah 1 Joel 1
Source forms
בִּמְסִלַּ֖ת 2x bim·sil·laṯ 2 Kings 18:17, Isaiah 36:2
בִּמְסִלָּ֣ה 1x bim·sil·lāh 1 Samuel 6:12
בַּֽמְסִלָּ֣ה 1x bam·sil·lāh Numbers 20:19
בַּֽמְסִלָּ֖ה 1x bam·sil·lāh 1 Chronicles 26:16
בַּֽמְסִלּוֹת֙ 1x bam·sil·lō·wṯ Judges 20:31
בַּֽמְסִלּ֔וֹת 1x bam·sil·lō·wṯ Judges 20:45
בִּמְסִלּוֹתָֽם׃ 1x bim·sil·lō·w·ṯām Isaiah 59:7
בִּמְסִלָּת֖וֹ 1x bim·sil·lā·ṯōw Joel 2:8
Parsing patterns
Article | Noun - feminine singular 4x 2 Samuel 20:12, 2 Samuel 20:13, Isaiah 62:10
Noun - feminine plural 3x 2 Chronicles 9:11, Psalms 84:5, Isaiah 33:8
Noun - feminine singular 3x Isaiah 11:16, Isaiah 19:23, Isaiah 40:3
Noun - feminine singular construct 2x Proverbs 16:17, Isaiah 7:3
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct 2x 2 Kings 18:17, Isaiah 36:2
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine plural 2x Judges 20:31, Judges 20:45
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular 2x Numbers 20:19, 1 Chronicles 26:16
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - feminine singular 2x 1 Chronicles 26:18, Jeremiah 31:21
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Engineered pathway suggesting intentional construction and preparation, often used metaphorically for God's way or moral course
Source Gloss
a thoroughfare (as turnpiked ), literally or figuratively; specifically a viaduct , a staircase
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Engineered pathway suggesting intentional construction and preparation, often used metaphorically for God's way or moral course
a thoroughfare (as turnpiked), literally or figuratively; specifically a viaduct, a staircase BDB: highway Usage: causeway, course, highway, path, terrace.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
Raised roadway prepared for travel.
Raised road or prepared way.
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 27 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
מְסִלָּה is built from this root:
Why This Word Matters
The highway imagery conveys unhindered return and covenant restoration. Isaiah 11:11-16
The highway symbolizes open access and reconciled movement between former enemies. Isaiah 19:23-25
Canonical Themes
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.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain