Search / H4541a
H4541a H4541a
Conj-w | N-fs  |  26× in 2 senses
A molten/cast idol image; rarely, a libation or covering poured out in covenant-making
Used almost exclusively for cast metal idols, massekah denotes an image formed by pouring molten metal into a mold — the infamous golden calf of Exodus 32 being its defining instance. Paired frequently with pesel (carved image), it became a standard term for denouncing idolatry across Deuteronomy, Judges, Kings, and the prophets. A single occurrence in Isaiah 30:1 uses the word in a strikingly different way, referring to a libation or covering poured out as part of an illicit political alliance, a covenant woven apart from God's Spirit.

Senses
1. molten/cast image (idol) A metal idol formed by casting molten material into a mold. English glosses consistently render 'cast image' or 'molten image,' while Spanish uses 'imagen fundida' (melted image), reinforcing the metallurgical process. The golden calf episodes (Exod 32:4, 8; Deut 9:16; Neh 9:18; Ps 106:19) define the prototype; the term appears in prohibitions (Exod 34:17; Lev 19:4) and in prophetic condemnations of northern idolatry (Hos 13:2; 1 Kgs 14:9). 25×
RELIGIOUS_LIFE Religious Activities Idols and Images
AR["المَسبوكُ","الْ-مَسْبُوكَ","تَمَاثِيلَ","تِمثالًا-مَسبوكًا","تِمْثَالِ","لِلمَسْبُوكِ","مَسبوكاً","مَسبوكَةً","مَسْبُوكًا","مَسْبُوكَاتِهِمْ","مَسْبُوكَةً","مَسْبُوكَةٍ","وَ-الْمَسْبُوكَاتِ","وَ-مَسْبُوكًا","وَ-مَسْبُوكٌ","وَ-مَسْبُوكٍ","وَمَسْبُوكًا"]·ben["এবং-ঢালাই-করা-মূর্তি","এবং-ঢালাই-মূর্তি","ও-ঢালাই-মূর্তি","গলানো","ঢালাই","ঢালাই-করা-মূর্তি","ঢালাই-করা-মূর্তিকে","ঢালাই-মূর্তি","ঢালাই-মূর্তিদের-এর","ঢালাই।","তাদের-ঢালাইয়ের"]·DE["[והמסכות]","[ומסכה]","[למסכה]","[מסכה]","[מסכות]","[מסכת]","der-werfen-Bild","ein-gegossen-Bild","gegossen","gegossen-Bild","ihr-werfen-Goetzen","und-werfen-Bild","werfen-metal"]·EN["a-cast-image","a-molten-image","and-cast-image","and-the-cast-images","cast-metal","molten","molten-image","molten-images","of-gold","the-cast-image","their-cast-idols","to-a-molten-image"]·FR["[והמסכות]","[למסכה]","[מסכות]","[מסכת]","et-fonte","et-jeter-image","fondu","fondu-image","fonte","jeter-metal","le-jeter-image","leur-jeter-idols","molten","un-molten-image"]·heb["ה-מסכה","ו-ה-מסכות","ו-מסכה","ל-מסכה","מסכה","מסכות","מסכת","מסכתם"]·HI["उनकी-ढली-हुई","और-ढली-मूर्ति","और-ढली-हुई-मूर्ति","और-ढली-हुई-मूर्तियों","को-ढली-हुई-मूर्ति","ढला-हुआ","ढली-मूर्ति-का","ढली-हुई-मूर्ति","ढाली-मूर्तियाँ","ढाली-हुई","ढाले-हुए"]·ID["berhala-tuangan","dan-patung-patung-tuangan","dan-patung-tuangan","dan-patung-tuangan;","kepada-patung-tuangan","patung-patung-tuangan","patung-tuangan","tuangan","tuangan-mereka"]·IT["[והמסכות]","[ומסכה]","[למסכה]","[מסכה]","[מסכות]","[מסכת]","e-gettare-immagine","fuso","fuso-immagine","gettare-metal","il-gettare-immagine","loro-gettare-idoli","un-fuso-immagine"]·jav["cor","cor,","cor-coranipun","cor;","dhateng-reca-cor","lan-reca-tuangan","lan-réca-tuangan","reca-cithakan","reca-tuangan","recani-recani-tuangan","tuangan"]·KO["그리고-그-부어만든-상들을","그리고-주조-를","부어-만든","부어-만든-것-그들의","부어-만든-상을","부어-만든-우상","부어-만든-우상을","부어만든-상의","부은-우상을","부은-우상이","에-부어-만든-우상","주물","주조-상들을"]·PT["a-imagem-fundida","e-as-imagens-fundidas","e-imagem-fundida","e-imagem-fundida?","fundição","imagem-de","imagem-fundida","imagens-fundidas","para-imagem-fundida","suas-fundidas"]·RU["и-литое","и-литой-идол","и-литые-идолы","и-литых-идолов","и-литьё","и-литьём","изображений-","истукану","литого","литое","литой-идол","литым","литых","литых-идолов","литых-их","литьё"]·ES["a-imagen-fundida","de-fundición","e-imagen-de-fundición","e-imagen-de-fundición?","fundición","fundición-de","imagen-de-fundición","imágenes-fundidas","la-imagen-de-fundición","sus-fundiciones","una-imagen-fundida","y-fundición","y-las-fundiciones"]·SW["chuma-kilichoyeyushwa","kwa-sanamu-za-kusubu","na-sanamu-ya-kusubu","na-sanamu-ya-kuyeyusha","sanamu-ya-kuyeyusha","sanamu-ya-kuyeyushwa","sanamu-za-kuyeyuka","wa-sanamu","whamaּseּkwot","ya-kuyeyushwa"]·TR["dokme-putuunun","dokulmus-puta","dökme","dökme-metal","dökme-put","dökme-putlar","döküm","döküm-put","dökümü","ve-dökme-put","ve-dökme-putlardan","ve-dökme-putları","ve-döküm"]·urd["ان-کے-ڈھلے-ہوئے","اور-ڈھالے-ہوئے-بُت","اور-ڈھلی-ہوئی-مورت","اور-ڈھلی-ہوئی-مورتوں","بتوں-کے","ڈھالا-ہوا","ڈھالا-ہوا-بُت","ڈھالی-ہوئی-مورتیں","ڈھالے-ہوئے","ڈھالے-ہوئے-بُت","ڈھلا-ہوا","ڈھلی-ہوئی-مورت","ڈھلی-ہوئی-مورتیں","ڈھلے-ہوئے-بتوں-سے"]
2. covering / libation (alliance) A libation, covering, or woven alliance — something 'poured out' in the context of covenant-making apart from God. Occurring only in Isaiah 30:1, where Israel weaves an alliance with Egypt that is not of God's Spirit. English renders 'covering,' Spanish 'libación,' reflecting the ambiguity between a drink offering and a protective pact. BDB connects this to the root nasak (to pour) rather than to the casting of metal.
RELIGIOUS_LIFE Religious Activities Idols and Images
AR["سَكِيبَةً"]·ben["আচ্ছাদন"]·DE["[מסכה]"]·EN["a-covering"]·FR["[מסכה]"]·heb["מסכה"]·HI["गठबंधन"]·ID["persekutuan"]·IT["[מסכה]"]·jav["prajanjian"]·KO["부어만든-상을"]·PT["libação"]·RU["союз"]·ES["libación"]·SW["sadaka-ya-kinywaji"]·TR["dokme-sunusu"]·urd["مورتی"]

Related Senses
H3548 1. priest, cultic officiant (750×)G5547 1. Christ, Messiah, Anointed One (540×)H5030 1. Prophet, divine spokesperson (317×)H5930a 1. burnt offering (sacrifice) (286×)H3881 1. Levites (priestly class) (283×)G4396 1. prophet, spokesperson of God (146×)H6944 1. sanctuary, holy place (129×)G0749 1. high priest, chief priest (123×)H6944 2. holiness, sacredness (abstract quality) (123×)H2076 1. Qal: offer sacrifice (cultic) (116×)G5330 1. Pharisee (99×)G0040 1. the Holy One, Holy Spirit (98×)H2931 1. ritually or morally unclean (88×)G4336 1. pray to God (86×)H6944 3. holy things, sacred offerings (plural) (86×)H3722a 1. make ritual atonement (Piel) (85×)H6912 1. bury (Qal active) (82×)H6419 1. pray (Hitpael) (80×)H6944 4. holiness (with possessive pronoun) (77×)H6942 1. sanctify, consecrate (Piel factitive) (76×)

BDB / Lexicon Reference
† I. מַסֵּכָה n.f. 1. libation; 2. molten metal, or image;—מ׳ Ex 32:4 +; cstr. מַסֵּכַת Is 30:22; pl. מַסֵּכוֹת 1 K 14:9 +; sf. מַסֵּכֹתָם Nu 33:52;— 1. libation, with covenant sacrif. in making covenant Is 30:1 (= 1. נֶסֶךְ; see, however, sub II. [נָסַךְ]). 2. molten metal, or image: עֵגֶל מַסֵּכָה molten calf Ex 32:4, 8; Dt 9:16; Ne 9:18, cf. ψ 106:19; אֱלֹהֵי מַסֵּכָה molten gods Ex 34:17; Lv