Lexical Summary mashman: Fatness, richness Original Word: מַשְׁמָן Strong's Exhaustive Concordance fat one, From shaman; fat, i.e. (literally and abstractly) fatness; but usually (figuratively and concretely) a rich dish, a fertile field, a robust man -- fat (one, -ness, -test, -test place). see HEBREW shaman Brown-Driver-Briggs [שָׁמָן] noun [masculine] fat, fertile, place; — plural construct מִשְׁמַנֵּי הָאָרֶץ (Ges§§ 20a, 93ee) Genesis 27:23 (poem in J; מִן partit), Genesis 27:39 (poem in E; מִן priv. according to Thes Ew Di Gunk and others; < partitive here as vb, ᵑ9 [ᵐ5 ἀπό in both], AV RV NöEncy. Bib 1184, compare Dr). [מִשְׁמָן] noun [masculine] fatness; — construct וּמִשְׁטַן בְּשָׁרוֺ יֵרָוֶה Isaiah 17:14 (figurative); plural concrete: stout, vigorous, ones, suffix מִשְׁמַנָּיו Isaiah 10:16 (opposed to רָווֺן on form see Ges§ 93pp), מִשְׁמַנֵּיהֶם Psalm 78:31; = fertile spots, construct מִשְׁמַנֵּי מְדִינָה Daniel 11:24. compare also 1 Samuel 15:9, see מִשְׁנֶה 3 [מַשְׁמָן] noun [masculine] fat piece, tid bit; — plural מַשְׁמַנִּים (Gesl.c.) Nehemiah 8:10 (for eating; מַמְתַקִּים for drinking). Topical Lexicon Thematic Overview מַשְׁמָן (mashman) conveys “richness,” “fatness,” or “choicest,” a concrete picture of lavish plenty that frequently serves as a theological barometer. In its seven occurrences the term alternates between blessing and judgment, underscoring the covenant principle that abundance flows from God but may be withdrawn when prosperity breeds pride. Patterns of Blessing Genesis 27:28 crowns Jacob with a three-fold benediction: “May God give to you the dew of heaven and the richness of the earth—an abundance of grain and new wine.” Here mashman represents the agricultural fertility promised to the patriarchs and, by extension, the covenant people. Nehemiah 8:10 echoes that note of gratitude when Ezra urges the returned exiles, “Go now and eat what is rich, drink what is sweet… for this day is holy to our Lord.” Feasting on what is mashman becomes a liturgical act—an embodied confession that every good and perfect gift descends from above. Such passages establish richness as a tangible witness of divine favor meant to foster thanksgiving and corporate joy. Patterns of Depletion and Judgment Esau’s oracle in Genesis 27:39 reverses the promise: “Your dwelling will be away from the richness of the earth,” illustrating that the same abundance rejected can become scarcity. Prophetic literature amplifies this warning. Isaiah foretells national decline: “In that day the glory of Jacob will fade, and the fatness of his body will waste away” (Isaiah 17:4). Likewise, the Lord “will send a wasting disease among his stout warriors” (Isaiah 10:16), indicating that political and military strength—Israel’s “fat ones”—will be consumed when self-reliance eclipses fear of the Lord. Psalm 78:31 records the historical fulfillment of such judgment when “He killed some of the strongest of them, subduing the choice men of Israel.” The text links overindulgence in the wilderness with God’s corrective wrath, reminding readers that prosperity detached from obedience invites chastening. Military and Political Use Daniel 11:24 transfers the term from agrarian wealth to geopolitical assets: “Without warning he will invade the richest parts of the realm.” The prophecy anticipates Antiochus IV Epiphanes, yet also portrays a recurring pattern in world history—opportunistic powers plundering the mashman of others. The verse warns that earthly riches are fleeting and subject to the sovereignty of the Most High who “removes kings and establishes them” (Daniel 2:21). Liturgical and Pastoral Relevance The tension between gift and misuse offers rich homiletical material. When congregations celebrate harvest, communion, or any thanksgiving observance, mashman calls them to savor God’s generosity without drifting into complacency. Pastors may pair Nehemiah 8:10 with James 1:17, urging joyful feasting coupled with compassion, for the text continues, “Send portions to those who have nothing prepared.” Thus richness becomes a vehicle of mercy rather than self-indulgence. Christological and Kingdom Implications Though mashman never explicitly appears in Messianic prophecies, its motif anticipates the superabundant grace embodied in Jesus Christ. Whereas Israel’s “fatness” diminished through disobedience, the Servant-King offers imperishable riches: “I came that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness” (John 10:10). The contrast invites believers to transfer hope from temporal plenty to the “unsearchable riches of Christ” (Ephesians 3:8). Future fulfillment awaits the marriage supper of the Lamb, the ultimate mashman where redeemed nations will dine without fear of judgment. Intertextual Connections • Deuteronomy 32:15 warns that Jeshurun “grew fat and kicked,” paralleling Isaiah’s critique of bloated self-confidence. Practical Ministry Applications 1. Thanksgiving services: Highlight Nehemiah 8:10 to frame celebration as worship and philanthropy. The thread uniting every occurrence is the conviction that all richness originates with God, is sustained by obedience, and finds its highest expression in the gospel. When the people of God steward their mashman in humble dependence, abundance becomes a signpost to the coming kingdom where scarcity and judgment will be no more. Forms and Transliterations בְּמִשְׁמַנֵּיהֶ֑ם בְּמִשְׁמַנָּ֖יו במשמניהם במשמניו וּבְמִשְׁמַנֵּ֣י וּמִשְׁמַ֥ן וּמִשְׁמַנֵּ֖י ובמשמני ומשמן ומשמני מִשְׁמַנֵּ֤י מַשְׁמַנִּ֜ים משמני משמנים bə·miš·man·nāw bə·miš·man·nê·hem bemishmanNav bemishmanneiHem bəmišmannāw bəmišmannêhem maš·man·nîm mashmanNim mašmannîm miš·man·nê mishmanNei mišmannê ū·ḇə·miš·man·nê ū·miš·man ū·miš·man·nê ūḇəmišmannê umishMan umishmanNei ūmišman ūmišmannê uvmishmanNeiLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 27:28 HEB: מִטַּל֙ הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וּמִשְׁמַנֵּ֖י הָאָ֑רֶץ וְרֹ֥ב KJV: of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, INT: of the dew of heaven and the fatness of the earth and an abundance Genesis 27:39 Nehemiah 8:10 Psalm 78:31 Isaiah 10:16 Isaiah 17:4 Daniel 11:24 7 Occurrences |