H4532 H4532
Massah, wilderness location where Israel tested God
A geographical name marking the site where the Israelites tested the Lord by demanding water and questioning his presence among them (Exodus 17:7). Moses named the place both Massah ('testing') and Meribah ('strife') to memorialize Israel's faithlessness. Later Scripture references it as a warning against repeating the wilderness generation's lack of trust (Deuteronomy 6:16, 9:22, Psalm 95:8). Deuteronomy 33:8 mentions God testing Levi 'at Massah,' possibly indicating multiple incidents at the location or connecting it to Levitical ordination trials.
Senses
1. sense 1 — A proper place name in the wilderness itinerary, the site where Israel put God to the test by doubting his presence and provision. The name itself means 'testing,' making it a permanent memorial to a failure of faith. The multilingual glosses consistently preserve it as a place name (Massah, Masá, Massa). Subsequent references use the location as a cautionary example: 'Do not test the Lord as you did at Massah' became a proverbial warning against faithless doubt. 4×
AR["فِي-مَسَّةَ", "مَسَّةَ", "وَفِي-مَسَّةَ"]·ben["এবং-মস্সাহতে", "মঃসা", "মঃস্সাতে", "মস্সায়"]·DE["Massah", "bei-Massah", "und-bei-Massah"]·EN["Massah", "and-at-Massah", "at-Massah"]·FR["Massa", "et-à-Massah", "à-Massah"]·heb["ב-מסה", "ו-ב-מסה", "מסה"]·HI["और-मस्साह-में", "मस्सा", "मस्साह-में", "में-मास्साह"]·ID["Masa", "dan-di-Masa", "di-Masa"]·IT["Massah", "a-Massah", "e-a-Massah"]·jav["Masah", "ing-Masa", "lan-wonten-ing-Massa", "wonten-ing-Massa"]·KO["그-맛사에서", "그리고-맛사에서", "릷사라", "에-릷사에서"]·PT["Massah", "e-em-Massá", "em-Massá"]·RU["Масса", "в-Массе", "и-в-Массе"]·ES["Masah", "en-Masá", "y-en-Masah"]·SW["Masa", "huko-Masa", "katika-Masa", "na-huko-Masa"]·TR["Massa", "Massa'da", "ve-Massa'da"]·urd["اور-مسّہ-میں", "مسّہ", "مسّہ-میں", "مسہ-میں"]
Related Senses
G3588 1. definite article (18298×)H0853 1. definite direct object marker (10915×)G2532 1. (8312×)H3068 1. YHWH (the divine name) (6522×)H0834a 1. relative pronoun (who/which/that) (4839×)H3588a 1. causal: because, for (3498×)G1161 1. and (2806×)H3478 1. Israel (proper name and nation) (2507×)G4771 1. you (plural address) (1853×)H1931 1. personal pronoun he/she/it (1431×)G3739 1. relative pronoun who/which/that (1149×)H1732 1. David (proper name) (1075×)H2088 1. this, this one (demonstrative) (1059×)G1063 1. (1047×)G3778 1. this thing, these things (1003×)H???? 2. (1002×)G2424 1. (924×)G3754 1. that (content clause) (881×)H2009 1. presentative particle: behold, look (881×)H0589 1. I (first person singular pronoun) (874×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† III. מַסָּה n.pr.loc. where Israel tried י׳ in the wilderness, Ex 17:7 (JE), Dt 6:16; 9:22 ψ 95:8 (all 𝔊 (ὁ) πειρασμός), where Levi was tested Dt 33:8 (𝔊 πείρᾳ). v. Gall Kultstätten 32 interprets as place of trial (ancient judgment-place) and identif. with Ḳadesh, called also מְרִיבָה (מֵי) and עֵין מִשְׁפָּט.