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Strong's Concordance
Hebrew Word Study

Strong's H4853 מַשָּׂא (massa)

Massa means “burden” — full meaning, definition, and every linked Bible usage across the indexed canon.

Same number, other testament: Strong's G4853 — symphyletes (“countryman”) in the Greek Bible.

Strong's Number H4853
Language Hebrew
Linked Usages 59
Books 19

Strong's H4853 Quick Answer

Strong's H4853 מַשָּׂא (massa') is a Hebrew Strong's word-study entry. massa' (mas-saw') n-m. 1. a burden 2. specifically, tribute, or (abstractly) porterage It has 59 linked Bible usages across 19 books. Visible English usage signals include burden, burdens, tribute, and desire. Indexed coverage on this page includes Old Testament.

Meaning
massa' (mas-saw') n-m. 1. a burden 2. specifically, tribute, or (abstractly) porterage
Usage
59 linked usages
Books
19 indexed books
Corpus
Old Testament
Usage Words
burden, burdens, tribute, and desire

Meaning and Definition

massa' (mas-saw') n-m. 1. a burden 2. specifically, tribute, or (abstractly) porterage 3. (figuratively) an utterance, chiefly a doom, especially singing 4. mental, desire [from H5375] KJV: burden, carry away, prophecy, X they set, song, tribute. Root(s): H5375

Original Word
מַשָּׂא
Transliteration
massa'
Derivation
Root: נשׂא First root strongs: 5375
Morphology
noun masc

Across Lexicons

How independent scholarly lexicons define Strong's H4853. Each definition is shown with its source so you can compare and cite the original reference works.

Extended Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (Brown-Driver-Briggs based)

burden

Usage: 1) load, bearing, tribute, burden, lifting 1a) load, burden 1b) lifting, uplifting, that to which the soul lifts itself up 1c) bearing, carrying 1d) tribute, that which is carried or brought or borne

STEPBible · Tyndale House, Cambridge · CC BY 4.0

How Strong's H4853 Is Translated

The English word each shown verse actually uses to render massa', taken from the interlinear word alignment (the same word underlined in the excerpts below). Where a rendering is used more than once, the count is shown.

burden Exodus 23:5 48× burdens Numbers 4:24 desire Ezekiel 24:25 tribute 2 Chronicles 17:11

How Strong's H4853 Usage Compares

Indexed coverage includes Old Testament. Each section below keeps corpus counts and sample passages visible so readers can compare the word across contexts instead of reading one flat concordance list.

  • The largest indexed corpus on this page is Old Testament with 59 linked usages.
  • The linked rows are Old Testament Hebrew usage, grouped by book for fast canonical scanning.

Strong's H4853 by Corpus

Indexed usage grouped by testament and extended corpus so readers can compare this word across the Bible, Septuagint, deuterocanonical books, and 1 Enoch where present.

Strong's H4853 in the Old Testament

59 indexed usages in Old Testament.

Exodus 23:5 KJV

If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him.

Numbers 4:15 KJV

And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation.

Numbers 4:19 KJV

But thus do unto them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach unto the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden:

Usage Excerpts

First 59 linked usage excerpts for Strong's H4853.

Exodus 23:5 Old Testament, KJV
If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him.
Numbers 4:15 Old Testament, KJV
And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation.
Numbers 4:19 Old Testament, KJV
But thus do unto them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach unto the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden:
Numbers 4:24 Old Testament, KJV
This is the service of the families of the Gershonites, to serve, and for burdens:
Numbers 4:27 Old Testament, KJV
At the appointment of Aaron and his sons shall be all the service of the sons of the Gershonites, in all their burdens, and in all their service: and ye shall appoint unto them in charge all their burdens.
Numbers 4:31 Old Testament, KJV
And this is the charge of their burden, according to all their service in the tabernacle of the congregation; the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and sockets thereof,
Numbers 4:32 Old Testament, KJV
And the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords, with all their instruments, and with all their service: and by name ye shall reckon the instruments of the charge of their burden.
Numbers 4:47 Old Testament, KJV
From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that came to do the service of the ministry, and the service of the burden in the tabernacle of the congregation.
Numbers 4:49 Old Testament, KJV
According to the commandment of the LORD they were numbered by the hand of Moses, every one according to his service, and according to his burden: thus were they numbered of him, as the LORD commanded Moses.
Numbers 11:11 Old Testament, KJV
And Moses said unto the LORD, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?
Numbers 11:17 Old Testament, KJV
And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone.
Deuteronomy 1:12 Old Testament, KJV
How can I myself alone bear your cumbrance, and your burden, and your strife?
2 Samuel 15:33 Old Testament, KJV
Unto whom David said, If thou passest on with me, then thou shalt be a burden unto me:
2 Samuel 19:35 Old Testament, KJV
I am this day fourscore years old: and can I discern between good and evil? can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink? can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? wherefore then should thy servant be yet a burden unto my lord the king?
2 Kings 5:17 Old Testament, KJV
And Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant two mules' burden of earth? for thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the LORD.
2 Kings 8:9 Old Testament, KJV
So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels' burden, and came and stood before him, and said, Thy son Benhadad king of Syria hath sent me to thee, saying, Shall I recover of this disease?
2 Kings 9:25 Old Testament, KJV
Then said Jehu to Bidkar his captain, Take up, and cast him in the portion of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite: for remember how that, when I and thou rode together after Ahab his father, the LORD laid this burden upon him;
1 Chronicles 15:22 Old Testament, KJV
And Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was for song: he instructed about the song, because he was skilful.
1 Chronicles 15:27 Old Testament, KJV
And David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and all the Levites that bare the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the master of the song with the singers: David also had upon him an ephod of linen.
2 Chronicles 17:11 Old Testament, KJV
Also some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents, and tribute silver; and the Arabians brought him flocks, seven thousand and seven hundred rams, and seven thousand and seven hundred he goats.
2 Chronicles 20:25 Old Testament, KJV
And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much.
2 Chronicles 24:27 Old Testament, KJV
Now concerning his sons, and the greatness of the burdens laid upon him, and the repairing of the house of God, behold, they are written in the story of the book of the kings. And Amaziah his son reigned in his stead.
2 Chronicles 35:3 Old Testament, KJV
And said unto the Levites that taught all Israel, which were holy unto the LORD, Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel did build; it shall not be a burden upon your shoulders: serve now the LORD your God, and his people Israel,
Nehemiah 13:15 Old Testament, KJV
In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals.
Nehemiah 13:19 Old Testament, KJV
And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day.
Job 7:20 Old Testament, KJV
I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself?
Psalms 38:4 Old Testament, KJV
For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.
Proverbs 30:1 Old Testament, KJV
The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal,
Proverbs 31:1 Old Testament, KJV
The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.
Isaiah 13:1 Old Testament, KJV
The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see.
Isaiah 14:28 Old Testament, KJV
In the year that king Ahaz died was this burden.
Isaiah 15:1 Old Testament, KJV
The burden of Moab. Because in the night Ar of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence; because in the night Kir of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence;
Isaiah 17:1 Old Testament, KJV
The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.
Isaiah 19:1 Old Testament, KJV
The burden of Egypt. Behold, the LORD rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it.
Isaiah 21:1 Old Testament, KJV
The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds in the south pass through; so it cometh from the desert, from a terrible land.
Isaiah 21:11 Old Testament, KJV
The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?
Isaiah 21:13 Old Testament, KJV
The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye travelling companies of Dedanim.
Isaiah 22:1 Old Testament, KJV
The burden of the valley of vision. What aileth thee now, that thou art wholly gone up to the housetops?
Isaiah 22:25 Old Testament, KJV
In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall the nail that is fastened in the sure place be removed, and be cut down, and fall; and the burden that was upon it shall be cut off: for the LORD hath spoken it.
Isaiah 23:1 Old Testament, KJV
The burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for it is laid waste, so that there is no house, no entering in: from the land of Chittim it is revealed to them.
Isaiah 30:6 Old Testament, KJV
The burden of the beasts of the south: into the land of trouble and anguish, from whence come the young and old lion, the viper and fiery flying serpent, they will carry their riches upon the shoulders of young asses, and their treasures upon the bunches of camels, to a people that shall not profit them.
Isaiah 46:1 Old Testament, KJV
Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth, their idols were upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: your carriages were heavy loaden; they are a burden to the weary beast.
Isaiah 46:2 Old Testament, KJV
They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the burden, but themselves are gone into captivity.
Jeremiah 17:21 Old Testament, KJV
Thus saith the LORD; Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem;
Jeremiah 17:22 Old Testament, KJV
Neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the sabbath day, neither do ye any work, but hallow ye the sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers.
Jeremiah 17:24 Old Testament, KJV
And it shall come to pass, if ye diligently hearken unto me, saith the LORD, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but hallow the sabbath day, to do no work therein;
Jeremiah 17:27 Old Testament, KJV
But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the sabbath day, and not to bear a burden, even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.
Jeremiah 23:33 Old Testament, KJV
And when this people, or the prophet, or a priest, shall ask thee, saying, What is the burden of the LORD? thou shalt then say unto them, What burden? I will even forsake you, saith the LORD.
Jeremiah 23:34 Old Testament, KJV
And as for the prophet, and the priest, and the people, that shall say, The burden of the LORD, I will even punish that man and his house.
Jeremiah 23:36 Old Testament, KJV
And the burden of the LORD shall ye mention no more: for every man's word shall be his burden; for ye have perverted the words of the living God, of the LORD of hosts our God.
Jeremiah 23:38 Old Testament, KJV
But since ye say, The burden of the LORD; therefore thus saith the LORD; Because ye say this word, The burden of the LORD, and I have sent unto you, saying, Ye shall not say, The burden of the LORD;
Ezekiel 12:10 Old Testament, KJV
Say thou unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; This burden concerneth the prince in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel that are among them.
Ezekiel 24:25 Old Testament, KJV
Also, thou son of man, shall it not be in the day when I take from them their strength, the joy of their glory, the desire of their eyes, and that whereupon they set their minds, their sons and their daughters,
Hosea 8:10 Old Testament, KJV
Yea, though they have hired among the nations, now will I gather them, and they shall sorrow a little for the burden of the king of princes.
Nahum 1:1 Old Testament, KJV
The burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.
Habakkuk 1:1 Old Testament, KJV
The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.
Zechariah 9:1 Old Testament, KJV
The burden of the word of the LORD in the land of Hadrach, and Damascus shall be the rest thereof: when the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel, shall be toward the LORD.
Zechariah 12:1 Old Testament, KJV
The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him.
Malachi 1:1 Old Testament, KJV
The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi.

All Indexed Usage Links

Every indexed verse link for Strong's H4853, grouped by book.

Exodus 1 usage, Old Testament
Numbers 10 usages, Old Testament
Deuteronomy 1 usage, Old Testament
2 Samuel 2 usages, Old Testament
2 Kings 3 usages, Old Testament
1 Chronicles 2 usages, Old Testament
2 Chronicles 4 usages, Old Testament
Nehemiah 2 usages, Old Testament
Job 1 usage, Old Testament
Psalms 1 usage, Old Testament
Proverbs 2 usages, Old Testament
Isaiah 14 usages, Old Testament
Jeremiah 8 usages, Old Testament
Ezekiel 2 usages, Old Testament
Hosea 1 usage, Old Testament
Nahum 1 usage, Old Testament
Habakkuk 1 usage, Old Testament
Zechariah 2 usages, Old Testament
Malachi 1 usage, Old Testament

Strong's H4853 FAQ

What does massa (מַשָּׂא) mean?

Massa (Strong's H4853) is a Hebrew word most simply glossed "burden". massa' (mas-saw') n-m. 1. a burden 2. specifically, tribute, or (abstractly) porterage

How many times is massa (מַשָּׂא) used in the Bible?

This page currently indexes 59 linked usages for Strong's H4853 across 19 books.

Where can I study massa (מַשָּׂא) in context?

Use the linked verse references on this page to study Strong's H4853 in context. The indexed coverage includes Old Testament.

What English words translate massa (מַשָּׂא)?

The visible usage excerpts most often surface English words such as burden, burdens, tribute, and desire. These are scanning signals from the displayed verses, not replacements for the original-language definition.