Weight (numerically estimated); hence, weighing (the act)
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The Hebrew noun mishqal names weight, the act or standard of weighing, or an amount specified by weight. Scripture uses it for honest commercial measures, precious metals, building materials, tribute, weapons, gifts, and carefully accounted sacred resources.
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Full entry for מִשְׁקָל (H4948) · Open the biblical lexicon
The Hebrew noun mishqal names weight, the act or standard of weighing, or an amount specified by weight. Scripture uses it for honest commercial measures, precious metals, building materials, tribute, weapons, gifts, and carefully accounted sacred resources.
The BSB source-word alignment has 49 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include The weight (16), weighing (16), . . . (2), weight (2), [shekels] (1).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 24:22. Its strongest book concentrations include 1 Chronicles (13), Numbers (12), 2 Chronicles (3), 2 Samuel (3).
The Hebrew noun mishqal names weight, the act or standard of weighing, or an amount specified by weight. Scripture uses it for honest commercial measures, precious metals, building materials, tribute, weapons, gifts, and carefully accounted sacred resources. The word can support moral teaching when the passage explicitly addresses just measurement, but it does not make wealth, heaviness, bodily weight, or a large offering a measure of spiritual worth.
Job’s poetry extends weighing language to God’s ordering of creation, while historical texts record enormous quantities without commanding every community to imitate royal scale. Responsible teaching follows the item measured, purpose, unit, and accountable process. It supports transparent finances, fair trade, accurate reporting, and stewardship while rejecting manipulation, prosperity formulas, body shame, and fundraising claims that equate the size of a gift with the depth of faith.
Mishqal denotes measured weight or quantity across commerce, gifts, treasure, construction, weapons, and poetry. Context supplies the object, unit, ownership, purpose, and whether accuracy, abundance, burden, or simple description is in view.
You must not use dishonest measures of length, weight, or volume.
Holiness includes refusing dishonest standards in length, weight, and quantity, bringing ordinary commerce under covenant justice.
When God fixed the weight of the wind and measured out the waters,
Job’s wisdom poem portrays God assigning weight to wind and measuring waters within creation’s ordered mystery.
The weight of all the gold articles for every kind of service; the weight of all the silver articles for every kind of service;
David assigns gold by weight for temple articles, emphasizing specified materials and ordered preparation for distinct uses.
Everything was verified by number and weight, and the total weight was recorded at that time.
Returned sacred valuables are counted and weighed, and the total is recorded to preserve accountable custody.
Then He told me, “Son of man, I am going to cut off the supply of food in Jerusalem. They will anxiously eat bread rationed by weight, and in despair they will drink water by measure.
Food eaten by weight becomes a sign of siege scarcity and anxiety rather than a model for personal discipline.
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders ItA compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
Hebrew word. weight (numerically estimated); hence, weighing (the act)
weight (numerically estimated); hence, weighing (the act) BDB: weight Usage: (full) weight.
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
מִשְׁקָל is built from this root:
Mishqal makes material claims verifiable. Leviticus places honest weights within holiness because distorted measures transfer wealth through deception and especially harm people with less bargaining power. Chronicles records weighted materials for distinct temple uses, showing ordered preparation rather than vague religious enthusiasm. Ezra 8 joins counting, weighing, and written totals so sacred custody can be examined.
Job’s poetry uses measurement to confess that creation’s order belongs to wisdom beyond human mastery. Ezekiel’s rationed food reverses abundance: being forced to eat by weight signifies siege, scarcity, and dread. These contexts support a theology of stewardship that values accuracy, transparent records, fair standards, and attention to deprivation. They do not turn quantities into spiritual scores.
Churches should disclose finances honestly, separate custody where possible, document restricted gifts, protect donors from pressure, and measure program claims truthfully. A large gift does not purchase favor, a small gift does not reveal lesser devotion, and bodily weight has no lexical connection to holiness. Measurement serves justice when it tells the truth and protects neighbors.
Lev.19.35
Mishqal is a Hebrew noun related to weighing and can refer to weight, a weighed amount, or measurement by weight. The object and numerical unit are supplied by context, so literal economic, material, and poetic uses should remain distinct.
Jesus condemns religious exploitation and praises faithfulness with entrusted resources, while the apostles require honest handling of collected gifts and concern for the poor. New Testament generosity is willing and grace-shaped, not purchased status or coerced payment.