H4886 H4886
To smear or anoint with oil; especially to consecrate kings, priests, and sacred objects; also to apply paint or cosmetic oil.
The quintessential verb of sacred consecration in the Hebrew Bible, from which the title 'Messiah' (מָשִׁיחַ, 'anointed one') derives. Oil is poured or smeared on persons and objects to set them apart for divine service: kings like Saul and David, priests like Aaron and his sons, and sacred furniture like the tabernacle and altar. The Arabic cognate مَسَحَ reveals the original physical gesture of wiping or stroking with the hand. A handful of occurrences preserve the older, non-sacral meaning of smearing a substance on a surface, such as painting walls with vermilion (Jer 22:14) or applying cosmetic oil to one's body (Amos 6:6), reminding us that the sacred sense grew from an everyday physical action.
Senses
1. anoint ceremonially for consecration — Ritual anointing to consecrate a person or sacred object for divine service. This dominant sense covers kings (1 Sam 9:16; 16:3), priests (Exod 28:41; 29:7), prophets (1 Kgs 19:16), and cultic objects such as the tabernacle, altar, and vessels (Exod 30:26; 40:9-11). Spanish 'ungir' and French 'oindre' both carry the sacral connotation, while German 'salben' preserves the oil-application root. The act signifies divine election and empowerment. 54×
AR["فَمَسَحُوا", "وَ-تَمسَحُ", "وَ-تَمسَحُهُ", "وَ-تَمْسَحُ", "وَ-تَمْسَحُهُ", "وَ-تَمْسَحُهُمْ", "وَ-مَسَحَ", "وَ-مَسَحَهُ", "وَمَسَحَ", "وَمَسَحَهُ", "وَمَسَحُوا", "وَمَسَحُوهُ"]·ben["আর-অভিষেক-করলেন", "এবং-অভিষেক-করলেন", "এবং-অভিষেক-করেছেন", "এবং-তারা-অভিষেক-করলেন", "এবং-তুমি-অভিষেক-করবে", "এবং-সে-অভিষেক-করল"]·DE["[וימשחו]", "und-du-soll-salben", "und-du-sollst-salben", "und-er-salbte", "und-salbte", "und-sie-salbte"]·EN["and-anointed", "and-he-anointed", "and-they-anointed", "and-you-shall-anoint"]·FR["[וימשחו]", "et-il-oignit", "et-ils-oignit", "et-oignit", "et-tu---oindre"]·heb["ו-ימשח", "ו-ימשחו", "ו-משח", "ו-משחו", "ו-משחת"]·HI["और-अभिषेक-करना", "और-अभिषेक-करेगा", "और-अभिषेक-किया", "और-उस्ने-अभिशेक-किय", "और-मशख-किया"]·ID["Dan-engkau-akan-mengurapi", "dan-engkau-akan-mengurapi", "dan-ia-mengurapi", "dan-mengurapi", "dan-mereka-mengurapi"]·IT["[וימשחו]", "e-egli-unse", "e-essi-unse", "e-tu-shall-ungere", "e-tu-ungerai", "e-unse"]·jav["Lan-jebadana", "lan-jebadana", "lan-njebadi", "lan-njebadi-", "lan-panjenengan-jebadi", "lan-piyambakipun-ngurapi", "lan-piyambakipun-sami-njebadi", "sarta-panjenengan-badhé-njebadi"]·KO["그리고-그들이-기름부었다", "그리고-그들이-기름을-부었다", "그리고-기름-부었다", "그리고-기름-부으라", "그리고-기름부었다", "그리고-기름부었다-그들이", "그리고-기름을-부었다", "그리고-바르라"]·PT["E-ungiram", "E-ungirás", "e-ungiram", "e-ungirás", "e-ungiu"]·RU["и-помажешь", "и-помажь", "и-помазал", "и-помазали", "и-помазали-"]·ES["Y-los-ungirás", "Y-ungirás", "y-lo-ungieron", "y-lo-ungirás", "y-ungieron", "y-ungirás", "y-ungió"]·SW["Na-wakamtia-mafuta", "Sulemani", "na-akampaka", "na-akampaka-mafuta", "na-akapaka", "na-utaipaka", "na-utaipaka-mafuta", "na-utalipaka", "na-utampaka", "na-utampaka-mafuta", "na-utawapaka", "na-utawapaka-mafuta", "na-wakamtia-mafuta", "wakamtia-mafuta"]·TR["Ve-meshedeceksin", "ve-mesh-edeceksin", "ve-mesh-ettiler", "ve-meshedeceksin", "ve-meshet-ti", "ve-meshetiler", "ve-meshetti", "ve-meshettiler"]·urd["اور-تو-مسح-کرے-گا", "اور-مسح-کرو", "اور-مسح-کرےگا", "اور-مسح-کیا", "اور-مسح-کیا-", "اور-مسح-کیا-انہوں-نے", "اور-مسح-کیا-اُنہوں-نے"]
Gen 31:13, Exod 28:41, Exod 29:7, Exod 29:36, Exod 30:26, Exod 30:30, Exod 40:9, Exod 40:10, Exod 40:11, Exod 40:13, Exod 40:15, Exod 40:15 (+38 more)
2. be anointed or consecrated — The passive or stative condition of having received sacral anointing, expressed through Niphal forms or Qal passive participles. Describes unleavened cakes anointed with oil for offerings (Exod 29:2; Lev 2:4; 7:12) and consecrated priests who have undergone the rite (Num 3:3; Lev 6:20). Spanish 'fue ungido' (was anointed) and the shift to passive voice across languages confirm the resultant-state meaning distinct from the active ritual act. 12×
AR["الْمَمْسُوحِينَ", "مَسْحِهِ", "مَمسوحَةً", "مَمْسُوحَةٍ", "مُسِحَ", "وَمَمْسُوحٌ"]·ben["অভিষিক্ত", "অভিষিক্ত-হওয়ার", "অভিষিক্ত-হয়েছেন", "অভিষেক-করা-হয়েছিল", "আর-অভিষিক্ত", "মাখানো", "লেপন", "লেপন-করা"]·DE["[נמשח]", "der-salbte-die", "salbte", "seiend-salbte", "smeared", "und-salbte", "war-salbte"]·EN["and-anointed", "anointed", "being-anointed", "smeared", "the-anointed-ones", "was-anointed"]·FR["[נמשח]", "et-oignit", "le-oignit-ones", "oignit", "smeared", "était-oignit", "étant-oignit"]·heb["ה-משח", "הימשח", "ו-משוח", "משוחים", "משח", "נמשח"]·HI["अभिषिक्त-किया-गया", "अभिषिक्तों-के", "अभिषेक-किया-गया", "अभिषेक-होने", "अभिषेक-होने-पर", "और-अभिषिक्त", "चुपड़ी-हुई", "लिपटी-हुई"]·ID["dan-diurapi", "diolesi", "diurapi", "yang-diolesi", "yang-diurapi"]·IT["[נמשח]", "e-unse", "essendo-unse", "fu-unse", "il-unse-quelli", "smeared", "unse"]·jav["dipun-jebadi", "dipun-urapi", "dipunjebadi", "dipunolèsi", "ingkang-dipun-jebadi", "ingkang-dipun-olesi", "kang-dipun-oles", "lan-kajebadan"]·KO["그-기름-부음-받은-자들", "그리고-기름-부음-받은", "기름-부음을-받는", "기름부음받았다", "기름부음받은", "바른", "바른다"]·PT["e-ungido", "foi-ungido", "os-ungidos", "ser-ungido", "ungiu", "untadas", "untados"]·RU["и-помазанный", "помазали", "помазан", "помазания", "помазанные", "помазанных"]·ES["fue-ungido", "los-ungidos", "ser-ungido", "ungidos", "ungió", "untadas", "y-ungido"]·SW["Mshhim", "alitiwa-mafuta", "ilipopakwa-mafuta", "iliyopakwa", "kupakwa-mafuta", "na-mtiwa-mafuta", "walioTiwa-mafuta", "ya-kutiwa-mafuta-kwake", "yaliyopakwa", "zilizopakwa"]·TR["mesh-edildi", "mesh-edilmiş", "meshedildiği", "meshedilmesi", "meshedilmesinden", "meshetmiştiyse", "sürülmüş", "ve-meshedilmiş"]·urd["اور-مسح-شدہ", "لگی-ہوئی", "مسح-کیا-گیا", "مسح-کیے-جانے", "مسح-کیے-ہوئے", "مسح-کے", "چُپڑی-ہوئی", "چپڑی-ہوئی"]
3. smear paint or oil cosmetically — Non-sacral smearing of a substance on a surface or body for practical or cosmetic purposes. Jehoiakim paints his palace walls with vermilion (Jer 22:14), a shield is oiled for battle preparation (Isa 21:5), and the complacent elite anoint themselves with fine oils (Amos 6:6). Spanish uses 'pintado' (painted) for the Jeremiah passage, clearly distinguishing this physical application from consecration. This preserves the original concrete meaning of the root. 3×
AR["اِمْسَحُوا", "وَ-مَدْهُونًا", "يَدْهَنونَ"]·ben["ও-রাঙানো", "তারা-মাখে", "মাখো"]·DE["[ומשוח]", "[ימשחו]", "[משחו]"]·EN["and-painted", "anoint", "they-anoint-themselves"]·FR["[ומשוח]", "[משחו]", "oindre"]·heb["ו-משוח", "ימשחוּ", "משחו"]·HI["और-रंगा-हुआ", "चिकना-करो", "चुपड़ते-हैं"]·ID["dan-dicat", "mereka-mengurapi-diri", "urapilah"]·IT["[ימשחו]", "e-ungere", "ungere"]·jav["lan-dipun-cèt", "sami-ngusap", "suwukana"]·KO["그리고-칠한", "기름바르라", "바르는도다"]·PT["e-pintado", "se-ungem", "ungi"]·RU["и-покрасит", "намазываются", "помажьте"]·ES["se-ungen", "ungid", "y-pintado"]·SW["na-kupaka", "pakeni-mafuta", "wanaojipaka"]·TR["sürünürler", "ve-boyalı", "yaglayin"]·urd["اور-پوت-کرے", "مالش-کرتے-ہیں", "چُپڑو"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H3548 1. priest, cultic officiant (750×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† מָשַׁח vb. smear, anoint (NH id.; orig. prob. as Arabic مَسَحَ wipe or stroke with the hand (cf. RSSem. i. 215; 2nd ed., 233), anoint, Aramaic ܡܫܰܚ, מְשַׁח anoint; on משח, id. (?) in Aramaic inscr. v. CISii. 1, No. 145, C, 1; Palm. משחא oil Vog No. 16; Ethiopic መስሐ anoint, feast, dine DiLex 176; (Assyrian mašâḫu is measure; Aramaic מְשַׁח id.; Arabic مساحة measurement, cf. DlProl 178 Frä…