H4270 H4270
Lack, want, poverty — the condition of being deficient in material resources or necessities
A masculine noun from the root חָסֵר ('to lack'), covering three overlapping senses that shade from concrete to abstract. At its most specific, it denotes the particular thing needed — 'enough for his need, whatever he lacks' (Deut 15:8). More broadly, it signals the absence of necessities: 'there is no lack of anything' in the prosperous land (Judg 18:10; 19:19–20). At its most abstract, it becomes a synonym for poverty itself, especially in Proverbs, where haste, withholding, and pleasure-seeking all lead 'to poverty' (Prov 6:11; 11:24; 14:23; 21:5, 17; 22:16; 28:27). The Psalmist promises that those who fear God 'have no want' (Ps 34:9).
Senses
1. lack, want, poverty — Need, lack, or poverty — the state of being materially deficient, ranging from a specific thing needed (Deut 15:8 'enough for his need') to general absence of necessities (Judg 18:10; 19:19–20 'no lack of anything'; Ps 34:9 'those who fear him have no want') to absolute destitution (Prov 6:11; 11:24; 14:23; 21:5, 17; 22:16; 24:34; 28:27, where it parallels רֵישׁ 'poverty'). Proverbs uses it as a moral outcome — laziness and folly yield מַחְסוֹר. Cross-lingual glosses reflect the economic register: spa 'escasez/carencia', fra 'manque', deu 'Mangel'. 13×
AR["احْتِيَاجِكَ", "حَاجَتِهِ", "عَوَزٌ", "عَوَزٍ", "عَوَزَ", "لِلْعَوَزِ", "وَ-عَوَزُكَ"]·ben["অভাব", "অভাবের", "অভাবের-জন্য", "অভাবের-দিকে", "এবং-তোমার-অভাব", "ও-তোমার-অভাব", "তার-অভাবের", "তোমার-অভাব"]·DE["[ומחסריך]", "[ומחסרך]", "[למחסור]", "[מחסור]", "dein-lack", "lack", "lack-von", "sein-lack"]·EN["and-your-want", "his-lack", "lack", "lack-of", "to-poverty", "to-want", "want", "your-lack"]·FR["de-manque", "et-ton-manque-toi", "lack-de", "manque", "son-lack", "ton-lack", "à-manque"]·heb["ו-מחסוריך", "ו-מחסורך", "ל-מחסור", "מחסור", "מחסורו", "מחסורך"]·HI["और-कमी-तेरी", "और-घाटा-तेरा", "कमी", "कमी-उसकी", "घटी", "घटी-के-लिए", "घाटे-के-लिए", "घाटेवाला", "तेरी-कमी"]·ID["dan-kekuranganmu", "kebutuhanmu", "kekurangan", "kekurangannya", "untuk-kekurangan"]·IT["[מחסור]", "e-povertà-tuo", "lack-di", "per-povertà", "povertà", "suo-lack", "tuo-lack"]·jav["dhateng-kakurangan", "kabutuhan-nipun", "kakurangan", "kakèrangan", "kanggé-kakurangan", "kekurangan", "kekurangan-panjenengan", "lan-kakurangan-panjenengan", "lan-kakuranganipun"]·KO["결핍이", "결핵-의", "결핵을-위함이니라", "궁핍함이", "궁핵함-을-위한-것이다", "그리고-결핥이-너-의", "그리고-네-궁핵함-이", "그의-부족함을", "네-부족함은", "부족함이"]·PT["carência", "e-carências-tuas", "e-tua-carência", "escassez", "falta", "falta-de", "para-carência", "para-falta", "sua-necessidade", "tua-necessidade"]·RU["и-нищета-твоя -", "и-нужда-твоя", "к-недостатку", "недостатка", "недостаток-твой", "нужды", "нужды-его"]·ES["carencia", "de-escasez", "escasez-de", "para-escasez", "para-pobreza", "su-carencia", "tu-necesidad", "y-tu-escasez", "y-tu-necesidad"]·SW["atakuwa-maskini", "huleta-uhaba", "mahitaji-yako", "mwenye-uhitaji", "na-uhitaji", "na-uhitaji-wako", "uhitaji", "uhitaji-wake", "upungufu"]·TR["eksiklik", "ihtiyacın", "ihtiyacını", "ve-eksikliğin", "ve-ihtiyacın", "yoksulluk", "yoksulluğa", "yoksulluğa-götürür"]·urd["اس-کی-ضرورت", "اور-کمی-تیری", "تنگی-کے-لیے", "تیری-ضرورت", "کمی", "کمی-والا", "کمی-کے-لیے"]
Deut 15:8, Judg 18:10, Judg 19:19, Judg 19:20, Ps 34:9, Prov 6:11, Prov 11:24, Prov 14:23, Prov 21:5, Prov 21:17, Prov 22:16, Prov 24:34 (+1 more)
Related Senses
H5414 1. give, bestow (1855×)H3947 1. take, seize, grasp (Qal) (940×)G2192 1. possess / have (680×)G1325 1. give, bestow (336×)H5159 1. inherited land or property (170×)G2983 1. receive, obtain (134×)H3423 1. Qal: take possession of land (130×)G2983 2. take, take up (113×)G2398 1. one's own, belonging to oneself (91×)G3860 1. hand over, deliver to custody (78×)H7998 1. spoil, plunder, booty (74×)G1325 2. be given, be granted (70×)H5414 2. put, place, set (68×)H7999a 1. pay, repay, recompense (63×)H7069 1. Buy, purchase (59×)H1892 1. vanity, futility, absurdity (58×)H5159 2. heritage as covenant portion (52×)H6299 1. redeem or ransom (Qal active) (49×)H4376 1. Sell (Qal active) (47×)H1350a 1. Redeem, buy back (46×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† מַחְסוֹר, מַחְסֹר n.[m.] need, thing needed, poverty;—מ׳ abs. Pr 11:24 + 6 times; cstr. Ju 18:10; 19:19; sf. מַחְסוֹרְךָ Ju 19:20; מַחְסֹרְךָ Pr 6:11; מַחְסֹרוֹ Dt 15:8; pl. sf. מַחְסֹרֶיךָ Pr 24:34;— 1. need = thing needed דֵּי מַחְסֹרוֹ Dt 15:8 enough for his need (sq. אשׁר יֶחְסַר לוֹ, cf. חָסֵר vb.); כָּל־מ׳ עָלָ֑י Ju 19:20 all thy need be upon me (for me to provide). 2. lack, want אֵין מ׳…