Original Word: מִסְכֵּנֻת
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: mickenuth
Pronunciation: mis-keh-nooth
Phonetic Spelling: (mis-kay-nooth')
KJV: scarceness
NASB: scarcity
Word Origin: [from H4542 (מִסכֵּן - poor)]

1. indigence

scarceness

From micken; indigence -- scarceness.

see HEBREW micken

Word Origin
from the same as misken
Definition
poverty, scarcity
NASB Translation
scarcity (1).

מִסְכֵּנֻת noun feminine poverty, scarcity, Deuteronomy 8:9.

מִסְכְּנוֺת see I. סכן.

מְסִלָּה, מַסְלוּל see סלל.

[מִסְמֵר], מַסְמְרִים etc. see סמר (שׂמר).

Overview

The word מִסְכֵּנֻת appears a single time in Scripture and describes the absence of provision that characterizes want or scarcity. Its lone placement in Deuteronomy 8:9, positioned within Moses’ rehearsal of covenant blessings, frames it as the negative backdrop against which divine abundance shines.

Biblical Setting

Deuteronomy records Israel on the border of Canaan. Moses contrasts the barrenness of the wilderness with the “good land” the LORD is giving:

“a land where you will eat bread without scarcity; you will lack nothing” (Deuteronomy 8:9).

Scarcity had marked Egypt (Exodus 16:3) and the desert (Numbers 11:5–6). The promise of a life free from מִסְכֵּנֻת becomes a tangible sign of covenant faithfulness (Deuteronomy 8:7–10).

Theology of Provision

1. Divine Sufficiency. The Lord’s ability to eliminate scarcity proclaims His self-sufficiency and His readiness to supply His people (Psalm 23:1; Philippians 4:19).
2. Covenant Blessing versus Curse. Abundance is tied to obedience (Deuteronomy 28:1–12), whereas “hunger, thirst, nakedness, and lack of everything” accompany disobedience (Deuteronomy 28:48). Though a different Hebrew term is used in the curses, the concept of insecurity mirrors מִסְכֵּנֻת as the antithesis of divine favor.
3. Remembrance. Israel is told to bless the LORD after eating (Deuteronomy 8:10) so that prosperity does not breed pride. Scarcity, or its removal, thus trains the heart toward gratitude.

Historical Reflection

Agriculturally, Canaan was uniquely situated: early and latter rains, fertile valleys, and mineral-rich hillsides (Deuteronomy 8:9b). Archaeological surveys reveal ample water retention systems and terraced farming that contrasted sharply with Egypt’s dependence on the Nile. Moses leverages this contrast to underscore the miracle of future plenty.

Intertextual Echoes

• Psalm 34:10 – “Those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.”
• Proverbs 10:3 – “The LORD will not allow the righteous to hunger.”
• Matthew 6:31–33 – Jesus exhorts disciples not to worry about food or drink.
• Revelation 7:16 – Eschatological promise: “They will hunger no more, nor will they thirst.”

Together these passages weave a canonical thread: scarcity is temporary for those under God’s care.

Ministerial Significance

1. Stewardship. Freedom from scarcity invites generous distribution (2 Corinthians 9:8–11).
2. Contentment. Even when physical lack is experienced, believers emulate Paul who learned to be content “in any and every situation” (Philippians 4:12).
3. Worship. Regular thanksgiving safeguards hearts from forgetting the Provider amid prosperity.

Practical Applications

• Encourage congregations to recount past wilderness seasons to magnify current grace.
• Mobilize relief ministries with confidence that God supplies resources for every good work (2 Corinthians 9:8).
• Teach budgeting and generosity together; abundance is entrusted, not owned (Deuteronomy 8:17–18).

Summary

מִסְכֵּנֻת crystallizes the dread of want that haunts fallen creation. Its solitary use in Deuteronomy 8:9 magnifies the LORD’s pledge to eliminate lack for His covenant people. From Israel’s settlement in Canaan to the believer’s hope of the New Jerusalem, Scripture consistently moves from scarcity to sufficiency, urging trust, gratitude, and faithful stewardship along the journey.

בְמִסְכֵּנֻת֙ במסכנת ḇə·mis·kê·nuṯ ḇəmiskênuṯ vemiskeNutInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts