I. מַס noun masculine[1Kgs 5:27] usually collective body of forced labourers, task-workers, labour-band or gang, also (late) forced service, task-work, serfdom ( ᵑ7 מִסָּא, especially in phrase מַסְּקֵי מִיסִּין (implying late and [for Biblical Hebrew] false sense 'tribute,' so Late Hebrew מַעֲלֵי מָסִּים; √ unknown, probably loan-word; follows analogue of ע׳׳ע); — absolute ׳מ [1Kgs 5:27] +; לָמַ֑ס [Josh 17:13] +; הַמַּ֑ס [2Sam 20:24] +; plural מִסִּים [Exod 1:11] —
1. labour-band, labour-gang, body of task-workers for public service, formed by levy upon the people by Solomon וַיַּ֫עַל הַמֶּלֶךְ שׁלֹמֹה מַס מִכָּליִֿשְׂרָאֵל [1Kgs 5:27], amounting to 30,000 men v.[1Kgs 5:27] אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלָה ׳הַמּ [1Kgs 9:15] ׳וַיַּעֲלֵם שׁ לְמַס עֹבֵד v[1Kgs 9:21] and Solomon levied them for a toiling labour-band (compare [Gen 49:15]; [Josh 16:10]) = ׳לְמַס וַיַּעֲלֵם שׁ [2Chr 8:8] apparently instituted, earlier, by David, compare וַאֲדֹרָם עַלהַֿמַּ֑ס [2Sam 20:24], i.e. had charge of the body of labourers, so [1Kgs 4:6]; [1Kgs 5:28]; [1Kgs 12:18] = [2Chr 10:18].
2. a. of labour-bands, slave-gangs of Israel in Egypt, only שָׂרֵי מִסִּים [Exod 1:11] (J) gang-overseers.
\ \ b. of conquered populations, subject to forced labour: יִהְיוּ לְךָ לָמַס וַעֲבָדוּךָ [Deut 20:11] compare [Judg 1:30]; [Judg 1:33]; [Judg 1:35] (see GFM), [Isa 31:8]; [Lam 1:1] so ויהי לְמַס עֹבֵד [Josh 16:10] (compare [Gen 49:15]; [1Kgs 9:21]); וַיִתְּנוּ אֶתהַֿכְּנַעֲנִי לָמַ֑ס [Josh 17:13], compare (׳וַיָּ֫שֶׂם וגו) [Judg 1:28].
3. in general: וַיְהִי לְמַסעֹֿבֵד [Gen 49:15] and he (Issachar) became a slaving labour-band (poem in J; compare [Josh 16:10]; [1Kgs 9:21]); compare רְמִיָּה תִּהְיֶה לָמַ֑ס [Prov 12:24] (here apparently of individual)
4. forced service, serfdom (or possibly (in late passage) tribute = enforced payment, compare Late Hebrew, ᵑ7, see above), only of Ahasuerus: ׳וַיָּשֶׂם הַמֶּלֶךְ מַס עַלהָֿאָרֶץ וגו [Esth 10:1].
II. מַס see מסס. מֵסַב, מֵסֵב see סבב.
מַסְגֵּר, מִסְגֶּ֫רֶת see סגר.
מַסַּד see יסד. [מִסְדְּרוֺן] see סדר
The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon
License: Public domain document; formatting developed for use in https://marvel.bible by Eliran Wong.
Source: provided by Tim Morton, the developer of Bible Analyzer