H4529 H4529
to melt, dissolve, cause to flow
A Hiphil verb meaning to cause melting or dissolution, used both literally and metaphorically. God melts ice with his word (Psalm 147:18), demonstrating power over nature. The psalmist's tears metaphorically 'dissolve' his bed (Psalm 6:7), and God's rebuke 'consumes' what is precious like a moth (Psalm 39:11). The verb also describes making someone's heart 'melt' with fear—intimidating them to the point of losing courage (Joshua 14:8). The imagery consistently involves reduction from solid to liquid, from firm to unstable.
Senses
1. sense 1 — To cause something to melt, dissolve, or flow, whether literally (ice melting) or metaphorically (hearts melting with fear, grief dissolving bed with tears, God's judgment consuming possessions). The cross-linguistic glosses show variety ('melt,' 'dissolve,' 'flood,' 'disolver') reflecting the term's application to different substances and contexts. The common thread is transformation from solid/stable to liquid/unstable through some external force, whether thermal, emotional, or divine. 4×
AR["أَذابوا", "أُذِيبُ", "وَأَذَبْتَ", "وَيُذِيبُهُمْ"]·ben["আমি-ভিজিয়ে-দিই", "ও-গলিয়ে-দিয়েছ", "ও-গলিয়ে-দেন-তাদের", "গলিয়ে-দিয়েছিল"]·DE["ich-Flut", "machte-melt", "und-er-schmilzt-ihnen", "und-verzehren"]·EN["I-flood", "and-consume", "and-he-melts-them", "made-melt"]·FR["arracher", "et-arracher", "fit-fondre"]·heb["אמסה", "המסיו", "ו-ימסם", "ו-תמס"]·HI["और-गलाया", "और-पिघलाता-है-उन्हें", "गला-दिया", "मैं-भिगोता-हूँ"]·ID["aku-rendam", "dan-mencairkannya", "membuat-menciut"]·IT["e-trasse-fuori", "fece-sciogliersi", "trasse-fuori"]·jav["kula-teles-aken", "lan-Panjenengan-nyirnakaken", "lan-nglèlèhaken-piyambakipun", "ndadosaken-cilik-manah"]·KO["그리고-녹이셨도다", "그리하여-녹이신다-그것들을", "녹였다", "적시나이다"]·PT["e-consomes", "e-os-derrete", "fizeram-derreter", "inundo"]·RU["и-растворяешь", "и-растопит-их", "растворяю", "растопили"]·ES["disuelvo", "hicieron-desfallecer", "y-derrites", "y-los-derrite"]·SW["na-kuyayeyusha", "na-unayeyusha", "ninalilowanisha", "waliyeyusha"]·TR["erittiler", "ve-eritir-onları", "ve-eritttin", "ıslatırım"]·urd["اور-اُنہیں-پگھلاتا-ہے", "اور-گھُلا-دیا", "میں-بھگو-دیتا-ہوں", "پگھلا-دیا"]
Related Senses
H4325 1. water, waters (582×)H6965b 1. Qal: to rise, arise, get up (432×)H2091 1. gold (the metal) (389×)H0068 1. stone, rock (material/object) (267×)H5178a 1. bronze/copper as metal (131×)H6083 1. dust, dry earth, soil (108×)H8313 1. burn, set fire to (94×)H2734 1. anger was kindled (82×)G5204 1. water (80×)H2822 1. darkness, absence of light (80×)G5457 1. light (illumination) (71×)G0450 1. rise, stand up (physical) (69×)H6965b 2. Qal: to stand firm, endure, be valid (50×)H6999a 2. burn sacrifice on altar (Hifil) (45×)H5553 1. rock, cliff (physical feature) (43×)H6965b 4. Hifil: to establish, confirm (covenant/kingdom/word) (40×)H1197a 1. burn, be on fire (39×)H4306 1. rain, showers (38×)H1653 1. rain, precipitation (34×)G4655 1. darkness (30×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [מָסָה] vb. melt, dissolve, be liquefied (Ethiopic መሰወ liquefy; Aramaic מְסָא melt away, ܡܣܳܐ dissolve, decay; coagulate; Assyrian masû is wash; v. also מסס);—only Hiph. Pf. 3 pl. הִמְסִיו Jos 14:8 (on form v. Ges§ 75 R. 17). Impf. sf. יַמְסֵם ψ 147:18; 2 ms. וַתֶּ֫מֶס ψ 39:12; אַמְסֶה ψ 6:7;—cause to dissolve, melt, ice ψ 147:18; hyperb. בְּדִמְעָתִי עַרְשִׁי אַמְסֶה ψ 6:7 with my tears I…