H4885 H4885
joy, exultation, delight — intense gladness or festive rejoicing, often associated with music, cities, or God's favor
Masos is an abstract noun denoting joy, exultation, or delight, appearing 17 times in predominantly poetic and prophetic contexts. It overlaps closely with sason (H8342) but carries its own distinctive coloring, often attaching itself to concrete sources of delight — cities, instruments, ways of life. Isaiah uses it to describe the joyful music silenced in judgment: 'the joy of tambourines has ceased, the exultation of the jubilant has stopped, the joy of the lyre has ceased' (Isa 24:8, where masos appears twice). The desolation of once-joyful cities is a recurring theme: 'upon all houses of joy in the exultant city' (Isa 32:13), and the wild donkeys' delight in abandoned urban ruins (Isa 32:14). Yet Isaiah also reverses the image: Jerusalem will become 'an eternal excellence, a joy of many generations' (Isa 60:15), and 'I will make her a joy, and her people a delight' (Isa 65:18). Psalm 48:2 calls Zion 'the joy of all the earth,' and Lamentations 2:15 mourns the loss of that very title. Jeremiah 49:25 laments 'the city of my joy.' Hosea 2:13 warns that God will end 'her joy.' Job 8:19 speaks ironically of the 'joy' of the godless man's way. Spanish 'gozo,' French 'joie/delice,' and German 'Wonne/Freude' capture the register of exuberant delight.
Senses
1. joy, exultation, delight — Intense joy, exultation, or delight — often anchored to concrete sources such as music, cities, or communal celebration. Isaiah uses it for the joy of instruments silenced by judgment ('the joy of tambourines... the joy of the lyre,' Isa 24:8) and ruined festive places (Isa 32:13-14), then reverses the image in promises of restoration where Jerusalem becomes 'a joy of many generations' (Isa 60:15; 65:18; 66:10). Psalm 48:2 and Lamentations 2:15 share the epithet of Zion as 'the joy of all the earth.' Jeremiah 49:25 applies it to a beloved city, and Hosea 2:13 to festivals God will terminate. Isaiah 62:5 compares God's delight in his people to a bridegroom's joy. Job 8:19 uses it with bitter irony for the short-lived flourishing of the wicked. Spanish 'gozo' and German 'Wonne' convey the festive register. 17×
AR["السُّرُورِ", "بَهْجَةَ", "بَهْجَةُ", "طَرَبًا", "فَرَح", "فَرَحُ", "فَرَحِها", "فَرَحِي", "مَرَحَ", "مَسَرَّةً", "مَسَرَّةَ", "وَ-الابتِهَاجَ", "وَ-فَرَحَ"]·ben["-এবং-আনন্দ", "আনন্দ", "আনন্দে", "আনন্দের", "আমার-আনন্দের", "উল্লাস", "উল্লাসের", "এবং-আনন্দ-করে", "তাঁর-আনন্দ"]·DE["Freude-von", "Wonne", "[משוש]", "und-Wonne"]·EN["a-joy", "a-pasture", "and-rejoicing", "and-the-joy-of", "exultation", "gladness", "her-mirth", "joy", "joy-of", "joy-of-", "my-joy", "of-joy", "the-joy"]·FR["de-joie", "délice", "et-délice", "joie", "משוש"]·heb["ו-משוש", "משוש", "משושה", "משושי", "ששון"]·HI["आनन्द", "आनन्द-उसका", "आनन्द-के", "और-आनन्द", "और-आनन्द-करना", "मेरी-खुशी-का", "हर्ष"]·ID["dan-bersuka-cita", "dan-sukacita", "kegembiraan", "kegembiraanku", "kegirangan", "kesukaan", "kesukaannya", "sukacita"]·IT["[משוש]", "[משושה]", "delizia", "e-delizia", "joy-of"]·jav["Lan-kabingahanipun", "bingah", "bingahipun", "kabingahan", "kabingahanipun", "kabingahanku", "kabungahan", "lan", "lan-bingah"]·KO["그리고-기쁨이", "기믭하는도다", "기뼐", "기쁘을", "기쁨-그녀의-을", "기쁨-이", "기쁨-이라고", "기쁨으로", "기쁨이", "나의-기쁨의", "즐거움으로", "즐거움의", "즐거움이"]·PT["alegria", "alegria-de", "alegria-dela", "e-alegria-com", "e-alegria-de", "minha-alegria", "regozijo"]·RU["веселье", "и-радостью-", "и-радуется", "их", "радости", "радости-моей", "радость", "радость-её", "радостью", "радостью-"]·ES["de-gozo", "el-gozo-de", "es-el-gozo-de", "gozo", "gozo-de", "mi-gozo", "por-alegría", "regocijo-de", "su-gozo", "y-como-gozo-de", "y-se-regocija-con"]·SW["furaha", "furaha-ya", "furaha-yangu", "kufurahi", "kwa-furaha", "na-kufurahi", "na-wanafurahi", "shangwe", "sherehe-zake", "za-furaha"]·TR["nese", "sevinc", "sevinc-", "sevinci", "sevincimin", "sevincin", "sevincini", "sevinç", "ve-sevinciyle-", "ve-sevinir"]·urd["اور-خوشی", "اور-خوشی-ہے", "خوشی", "خوشی-اُس-کی", "خوشی-میری-کا", "خوشی-کے", "مسرت"]
Related Senses
G2309 1. want, desire (166×)G0025 1. to love actively (133×)H0157 1. love (verb, active Qal) (129×)H8055 1. Qal: rejoice, be glad (123×)H7453 1. neighbor, fellow man (120×)G0026 1. of love (115×)H1058 1. Qal: to weep, cry (112×)H0954 1. to be ashamed, feel shame (Qal) (95×)H8057 1. joy, gladness, delight (90×)H2781 1. disgrace, shame, dishonor (68×)G2307 1. will, desire, purpose (63×)G5463 1. rejoice, be glad (63×)G0027 1. beloved (61×)H8130 1. Qal: to hate, detest (60×)G5479 1. (59×)G1680 1. (53×)H8130 2. Qal ptcp: hater, enemy (53×)H0014 1. be willing, want (51×)H0157 2. lover, friend (Qal participle substantive) (51×)H1945 1. woe (50×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† מָשׂוֹשׂ n.m. Is 24:8 id.;—abs. מ׳ Is 32:13 +, cstr. מְשׂוֹשׂ Jb 8:19 +; sf. מְשׂוֹשִׂי Je 49:25, מְשׂוֹשָׂהּ Ho 2:13;—exultation, in gen., La 5:15 (opp. אֵבֶל), Is 24:11; 66:10 (acc. cogn.); of bridegroom 62:5; מ׳ תֻּפִּים 24:8, מ׳ כִּנּוֹר v 8; בָּתֵּי מ׳ 32:13; of Jerus. (as causing joy) 60:15 ψ 48:3; La 2:15, cf. Je 49:25 (קִרְיַת מְשׂוֹשִׂי; ‖ תְּהִלָּה), Is 65:18 (‖ גִּילָה); מ׳ דַּרְכּוֹ…