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shebanq

מֶשֶׁךְ mèšek – leather bag, pouch

Semantic Fields: Utensils   
Author(s): Eric G.L. Peels
First published: 2011-05-11
Last update: May 2025 (Marten van Dam)
Citation: Eric G.L. Peels, מֶשֶׁךְ mèšek – leather bag, pouch,
               Semantics of Ancient Hebrew Database (sahd-online.com), 2011 (update: May 2025 (Marten van Dam)) (WORK IN PROGRESS)

Introduction

Grammatical type: noun masc.

Occurrences: 2x HB (0/0/2); 0x Sir; 0x Qum; 0x Inscr. (Total: 2)

  • Ketubim: Ps 126:6; Job 28:18

1. Root and Comparative Material

A.1 Root. According to Fronzaroli *mašk should be regarded as a common Semitic word.1 If the Egyptian equivalent (see below) is not a Semitic loanword, this *mašk must have been a Hamito-Semitic word.2

A.2 Egyptian. msk3, ‘hide, leather’3. According to Erman & Grapow a Semitic loanword4, but not accepted as such by Hoch, SWET, and others.

A.3 Akkadian. mašku, ‘leather’, ‘hide’, in synecdochic use also ‘bag’ (to put away materia medica/magica).5

A.4 Ugaritic. mšk, ‘skin, hide’, might occur in KTU 5.23:18.6 However, msg is generally thought to be the Ugaritic form of this word which in that case means ‘skin, leather’ there too.7

A.5 Imperial Aramaic and Palmyrene. mškʾ, ‘skin, hide’.8

A.6 Jewish Aramaic. Sokoloff: משכא,‘hide, leather, skin’;[9] Sokoloff: משך, det. משכה ‘skin, leather’.10

A.7 Samaritan Aramaic. Tal: משך ‘skin, leather’.

A.8 Syriac. meškā, ‘skin, hide ... leather’.12

A.9 Mandaic. Macuch: miškā ‘hide’.13

A.10 Classical Arabic. Dozy: mask (in Algeria: mašk): ‘sac en cuir’.14

A.11 Ethiopic. Geez māʾas, māʿs ‘skin, hide’?;15 Amharic mas ‘tanned hide’?16

A.12 Greek and others. μεσκος, ‘sheepskin, fleece’, a rare Semitic equivalent of κῳvδιον.17 Possibly it occurs also in other languages as a loanword. Robinson remarks on מֶשֶׁךְ: ‘It is curious that this was not identified long ago, for every one who has spent any time in northern India must be familiar with the mšk (= mšk), the goat-skin bag in which the ‘‘bhisti’’ (water-carrier) bears his precious fluid.’18

2. Formal Characteristics

[Discussion will be added later.]

3. Syntagmatics

[Discussion will be added later.]

4. Ancient Versions

a. Septuagint (LXX) and other Greek versions (αʹ, σʹ, θʹ):

  • In Ps 126:6 (LXX 125:6) the LXX and the Quinta avoid a translation. σ´ has ἑλκυσμός, ‘attraction ... dragging’.

  • In Job 28:18 LXX and θ´ render ἕλκυσον, ‘drag in (wisdom)’, thus apparently deriving from the verb משׁך. This will also be the background of α´ γλυκύς, ‘sweet’ or ‘sweetness’.

b. Peshitta (Pesh):

  • In Ps 126:6 Pesh paraphrases ܐܝܢܐ ܕܫܩܝܠ ܙܪܥܐ (ʾyna dšqyl zrʿʾ), ‘he who carries seed’.
  • In Job 28:18 the very free rendering skips מֶשֶׁךְ altogether.

c. Targum (Tg):

  • The rabbinic Targums on Ps 126:6 and Job 28:18 render with נגדא, ‘the drawing (of wisdom)’. The Job Targum from Qumran has not been preserved at this point.

d. Vulgate (Vg):

  • trahitur, ‘is drawn’, 3rd pers. sing. present passive of trahere, ‘to drag’, apparently taking the Hebrew as a verb (cf. LXX): Job 28:18.
  • In Ps 126:6 (Vg 125:6) the expression מֶשֶׁךְ־הַזָּרַע is translated as ad seminandum sementem, ‘to sow the seed’, with מֶשֶׁךְ interpreted as a verb.

5. Lexical/Semantic Fields

[Discussion will be added later.]

6. Exegesis

6.1 Literal Use

A.1 By means of beautiful parallelism the poet of Psalm 126:5-6 expresses the contrast as well as the gradual transition from sorrow to joy in human life. The farmer goes forth (הלך) weeping, because it pains him to throw out good grain (cf. Mk 4:1-20), but eventually, when he brings the sheaves home (בוא), he rejoices (cf. Jn 4:36). On both occasions he is carrying (נשׂא) something: when scattering seed from the מֶשֶׁךְ ־הַזָּרַע, and at the harvest the sheaves.

A.2 In view of the poetical structure the suggestion in the critical apparatus of BHS that in verse 6a נֹשֵׂא is a vertical dittography must be rejected.19 Moreover, 11Q Psa supports MT. The proposal to delete נֹשֵׂא and to read מֹשֵׁךְ (part. Qal, cf. Amos 9:13) instead of מֶשֶׁךְ that was thought to be problematic, does not merit endorsement.20

A.3 For a long time מֶשֶׁךְ was taken to mean ‘trail’, ‘drawing (up)’ or ‘throw’ of the seed. The verb משׁך ‘to draw, drag’ as well as some of the ancient versions (see Ancient Versions) seemed to support this idea. However, this solution proved not entirely satisfactory: ‘Quot commentationes, tot contortiones’.21 Nevertheless it was still accepted by Klein.22 Also the proposal to attribute the meaning ‘to grasp, seize’ to משׁך23 and hence ‘price’24 fails to convince.25

A.4 The text of Psalm 126:5-6 itself suggests clearly that מֶשֶׁךְ is a concrete utensil, a kind of bag in which the farmer could carry the seed and from which time and again he takes a handful to distribute it more or less evenly over the land.26 In itself it would be possible to surmise that he walked behind the seed-plough with a bag of grain in his hand,27 but in view of the parallelism it is more likely that he is strewing out the seed directly from the bag.28

A.5 The material of which this seed pouch was made is not indicated by the text, but the derivation from √משׁך ‘to draw (off)’ and the well-attested Semitic noun *mašku ‘hide’ (cf. Root and Comparative material) allows us to think of an object made from hide or leather. Cloth is possible, but would make it difficult to dip into the pouch without looking because it could easily fold double and a broken nail might get caught in the fabric. Because the container should also be light enough to be carried effortless by a walking man, in order to take with him as much seed as possible, leather would seem the ideal choice of material.

6.2 Figurative Use

A.1 In Job 28:15-19 the inestimable value of wisdom is described - it is not for sale, not even for gold and silver. No jewel sparkles like wisdom, it is incomparable. Verse 18b is part of this passage. It states that wisdom also exceeds the beauty and value of corals, מִפְּּנִינִים חָכְמָה וּמֶשֶׁךְ. In accordance with LXX, θ´ and Vg (see Ancient Versions) many have proposed to read the nomen regens in חָכְמָה מֶשֶׁךְ as an infinitive. The ‘drawing’, ‘pulling up’ or ‘dragging’ up of wisdom is better than fishing corals from the bottom of the sea,29 or ‘to draw’ wisdom requires a greater effort than bringing in corals.30 Others render ‘possession’, ‘acquisition’, or even ‘price, value’ (see Literal Use).

A.2 Yet there is no need to take מֶשֶׁךְ in a different sense than it has in Ps. 126. In this case too a concrete object is involved - a leather pouch in which one can tuck away something. This produces a nice imagery in v. 18b. If it were possible to put wisdom in a pouch, as one puts valuables and money away, such a ‘pouch of wisdom’ (genitive of material31) would obviously be much more valuable than any pouch filled with precious metals or gems. One is well-advised to fill his מֶשֶׁךְ with חָכְמָה rather than corals, is Elihu's message.

6.3 Pictorial Material

A.1 Cf. A. Erman & H. Ranke.

6.4 Archaeology

A.1 [Will be added later.]

7. Conclusion

A.1 In the past, scholars trying to establish the meaning of the noun מֶשֶׁךְ have relied too much on the testimony of the ancient versions, ignoring the fact that the translators were obviously guessing after the meaning and paraphrased the two passages Ps 126:6 and Job 28:18 heavily in order to wrest some sense from them.

A.2 Both careful exegesis and comparative linguistics render it plausible that the rare term מֶשֶׁךְ designates a leather bag or pouch which, depending on its purpose, might have different shapes. In Psalm 126:6 it will have been a fairly large bag for seed, in Job 28:18 a small pouch for valuables. Since the normal Hebrew word for ‘skin, hide, leather’ is עׂור, one might consider the possibility that מֶשֶׁךְ is an Egyptian or Akkadian loanword (see Root and Comparative material) which, just as the Akkadian equivalent, sometimes acquired the specific meaning of ‘bag, pouch’ through synecdoche.

Bibliography

For the abbreviations see the List of Abbreviations.

Borowski, AIAI, 54: ‘bag’

Dalman, AuS, Bd. 2, 180-1

BDB, 604: ‘a drawing, drawing up, a trail’

Briggs & Briggs 1907
C.A. Briggs & E.G. Briggs, The Book of Psalms (ICC), vol. 2, Edinburgh 1907, 457
Caquot & Masson 1977
A. Caquot & E. Masson, ‘Tablettes Ougaritiques du Louvre’, Semitica 27 (1977), 18

Klein, CEDHL, 391

CHALOT, 219: ‘(leather) pouch, bag’

Clines 2006
D.J.A. Clines, Job 21-37 (WBC, 18A), Nashville 2006, 903
Dahood 1970
M. Dahood, Psalms III (AB, 17A), Garden City 1970, 221

Alonso Schökel, DBHE, 439: ‘Bolsa, escarcela, alforja

DCH, vol. 5, 525, leaves all options open

Fohrer 1963
G. Fohrer, Das Buch Hiob (KAT, 16), Gütersloh 1963, 391
Fronzaroli 1964
P. Fronzaroli, ‘Studi sul lessico commune semitico II’, AANL.M 19 (1964), 18-55 (30)

GB, 469: ‘Das Ziehen, Streuen des Samens (Ps 126,6); Erwerb, Besitz (Job 28,18)’

Gordis 1978
R. Gordis, The Book of Job: Commentary, New Translation, and Special Studies, New York 1978, 309
Gunkel 1968
H. Gunkel, Die Psalmen (HAT 2/2), Göttingen 1926, repr. Göttingen 1968, 553

HAHAT, 753: ‘Beutel (aus Leder)’

HALAT, 610: ‘Lederbeutel’

HAWAT, 252: ‘1. Strich (des Samens dh. soviel man zu einem Strich [= einer Strecke] braucht) Ps. 126,6; 2. Erwerbung (Hi 28,18)’

HCHAT, 797: ‘1) ... Zug, des Samens, d.h. das langhin Gesäete ... 2) ... Besitz’

KBL, 575: ‘Haut, Leder > Beutel, skin, leather > bag’

Köhler 1937
L. Köhler, ‘Hebräische Vokabeln II’, ZAW 55 (1937), 161-2
Kraus 1989
H.-J. Kraus, Psalmen (BK, 15/2), Neukirchen 61989, 1032
Kroeze 1961
J.H. Kroeze, Het boek Job (COT), Kampen 1961, 310

LÄ, Bd. 2, Wiesbaden 1977, 169-70

LHA, 481: ‘prob. cutis, pellis, corium; ... alii explicant tractio, sparsio seminis (Ps), acquisitio sapientiae (Job)’

Winer, LMHC, 584-5: ‘possessio, a tenendo dicta (Job 28, 18); alludi h.l. putat ad extractionem et expiscationem margaritarum ex fundo maris; Ps. 126, 6: tractio h. e. sparsio seminis’

Magne 1958
J. Magne, ‘Répétitions de mots et exégése dans quelques Psaumes et le Pater’, Bib. 39 (1958), 191
Mayer 1960
M.L. Mayer, ‘Gli Imprestiti Semitici in Greco’, RIL.L 94 (1960), 311-51 (330)

MHH, 674: נרתיק

NIDOT, vol. 2, 1129: leaves various options open

Robinson 1961
T.H. Robinson, ‘New Light on the Text and Interpretation of the Old Testament Supplied by Recent Discoveries’, ZAW 73 (1961), 265-9
Seybold 1996
K. Seybold, Die Psalmen (HAT, 1/15), Tübingen 1996, 486
TPC
Gesenius & Roediger, TPC, 827: ‘1) tractio ... 2) possessio’
Tur-Sinai 1948
N.H. Tur-Sinai, והספר הלשון, vol. 1, Jerusalem 1948, 383-97
Van Selms 1983
A. van Selms Job (PredOT), Nijkerk 1983, 68
Zenger 2008
E. Zenger, in: F.-L. Hossfeld & E. Zenger, Psalmen 101-150 (HThKAT), Freiburg 2008, 502: ‘bezeichnet den aus (abgezogener) Haut hergestellten Lederbeutel, hier den Beutel für den auszuwerfenden Samen’.

  1. Fronzaroli 1964 ↩

  2. cf. HSED, 378. ↩

  3. Hannig, SP, 107. ↩

  4. Erman & Grapow, WÄS, Bd. 2, 150 ↩

  5. CAD M/1, 376-79. ↩

  6. according to Caquot & Masson 1977. ↩

  7. cf. DULA, 581-2. ↩

  8. Hoftijzer & Jongeling, DNSI, 700; Porten & Lund, ADE, 230. ↩

  9. Sokoloff, DJBA, 714. ↩

  10. Sokoloff, DJPA, 334. ↩

  11. Tal, DSA, 490. ↩

  12. Payne Smith (Margoliouth), CSD, 306; Brockelmann, LS, 407; Costaz, DSF, 193. ↩

  13. Macuch, MD, 270-1. ↩

  14. Dozy, SDA, t. 2, 600. ↩

  15. Cf. Dillmann, LLAe, 195. ↩

  16. Cf. Leslau, CAmhD, 21. ↩

  17. LSJ, 1106 and 1016; cf. Lewy, SFG, 131; Mayer 1960. ↩

  18. Robinson 1961. ↩

  19. Cf. Magne 1958; Dahood 1970. ↩

  20. so e.g. Briggs & Briggs 1907; Gunkel 1968; Kraus 1989; Zenger 2008, 502. ↩

  21. Köhler 1937. ↩

  22. Klein, CEDHL, 391. ↩

  23. Tur-Sinai 1948. ↩

  24. Gordis 1978. ↩

  25. Clines 2006, 903; DCH, vol. 5, 525. ↩

  26. cf. Fohrer 1963; Seybold 1996. ↩

  27. cf. ANEP, No. 85. ↩

  28. cf. Dalman, AuS, Bd. 2, 180-1, with Pl. 23 and 24. ↩

  29. so e.g. Kroeze 1961; De Wilde 1981. ↩

  30. so e.g. Van Selms 1983. ↩

  31. IBHS, 151. ↩

  32. A. Erman & H. Ranke, Ägypten und ägyptisches Leben, Tübingen 1923, Pl. 203. ↩

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