H4909 H4909
maskoret — wages, payment for labor; reward for faithfulness
This noun denotes wages or payment earned through service or labor. The term appears exclusively in narrative contexts involving Jacob's service to Laban and Ruth's faithful service to Naomi. In Genesis, it refers to the agreed-upon compensation for Jacob's shepherding work—repeatedly changed by Laban's deception. In Ruth, it takes on a more elevated sense, referring to divine reward for covenant faithfulness and loyal love. The word captures both commercial payment for work rendered and the broader concept of recompense for loyal service.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Wages or payment for service, used both commercially and theologically. In Genesis 29:15, Laban asks Jacob about his 'wages' (maskoreteka) for shepherding his flocks, establishing the context for the bride-price arrangement. Genesis 31:7 and 41 recount Laban's deceitful manipulation, changing Jacob's 'wages' (maskorti) ten times over fourteen years of service. Ruth 2:12 elevates the concept: Boaz blesses Ruth with 'a full reward' (maskoret shelemah) from YHWH for her loyal love to Naomi and trust in Israel's God. The term thus spans human employer-employee relationships (Genesis) and divine recompense for covenant faithfulness (Ruth). 4×
AR["أُجْرَتُكَ", "أُجْرَتُكِ", "أُجْرَتِي"]·ben["আমার-পারিশ্রমিক", "তোমার-মজুরি"]·DE["[משכרתך]", "ist-dein-Lohn", "meinen-Lohn"]·EN["my-wages", "wages-your", "your-wages"]·FR["mon-salaire", "salaire-ton", "ton-salaire"]·heb["משכורתך", "משכרתי-י", "משכרתך-ך"]·HI["तेरी-मज़दूरी", "मज़दूरी", "मेरी-मज़दूरी"]·ID["upah-ku", "upahmu"]·IT["mio-wages", "tuo-salario", "wages-tuo"]·jav["bayaranipun", "epahan-kawula", "pituwas-panjenengan"]·KO["나의-삯을", "너의-삯이", "니-보상이"]·PT["salário-meu", "salário-teu", "teu-salário"]·RU["награда-твоя", "плата-твоя", "плату-мою"]·ES["salario-mío", "salario-tuyo", "tu-recompensa"]·SW["ujira-wako", "ujira-wangu"]·TR["ücretimi", "ücretin"]·urd["تیری-مزدوری", "مزدوری-تیری", "مزدوری-میری", "میری-مزدوری"]
Related Senses
H5414 1. give, bestow (1855×)H3947 1. take, seize, grasp (Qal) (940×)G2192 1. possess / have (680×)G1325 1. give, bestow (336×)H5159 1. inherited land or property (170×)G2983 1. receive, obtain (134×)H3423 1. Qal: take possession of land (130×)G2983 2. take, take up (113×)G2398 1. one's own, belonging to oneself (91×)G3860 1. hand over, deliver to custody (78×)H7998 1. spoil, plunder, booty (74×)G1325 2. be given, be granted (70×)H5414 2. put, place, set (68×)H7999a 1. pay, repay, recompense (63×)H7069 1. Buy, purchase (59×)H1892 1. vanity, futility, absurdity (58×)H5159 2. heritage as covenant portion (52×)H6299 1. redeem or ransom (Qal active) (49×)H4376 1. Sell (Qal active) (47×)H1350a 1. Redeem, buy back (46×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [מַשְׂכֹּ֫רֶת] n.f. wages;—sf.: wages of servant, מַשְׂכֻּרְתִּי Gn 31:7, 41, -תֶּ֑ךָ 29:15; = reward of faithfulness, -תֵּךְ Ru 2:12.