Original Word: מַשָּׁאָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: mashsha'ah
Pronunciation: mash-shaw-aw'
Phonetic Spelling: (mash-shaw-aw')
KJV: X any(-thing), debt
NASB: debts, loan
Word Origin: [feminine of H4855 (מַשָּׁא - usury)]

1. a loan

loan, debt

Feminine of mashsha'; a loan -- X any(- thing), debt.

see HEBREW mashsha'

Word Origin
fem. of mashsha
Definition
a loan
NASB Translation
debts (1), loan (1).

[מַשָּׁאָה] noun feminine loan (on pledge); — construct כִּי תַשֶּׁה בְרֵעֲךָ מַשַּׁאת מְאוּמָה Deuteronomy 24:10; plural עֹרְבִים מַשָּׁאוֺת Proverbs 22:26 those pledging (giving security for) debts.

Biblical Usage and Context

מַשָּׁאָה appears only twice in the Old Testament and always concerns the moral responsibilities surrounding a loan. In Deuteronomy 24:10 the lender is told, “When you lend anything to your neighbor, do not enter his house to collect security”. The focus is on preserving the borrower’s dignity and ensuring that compassion, not coercion, governs economic dealings. Proverbs 22:26 cautions, “Do not be one who gives pledges, who puts up security for debts”, warning against rash financial entanglements that jeopardize personal stability and the welfare of one’s household. Together the passages present both sides of the lending relationship—responsible generosity by the creditor and prudent caution by the potential surety.

Cultural and Legal Background

In the Ancient Near East, loans were common for subsistence farming, seed grain, or emergency needs. Israel’s civil law differed markedly from surrounding cultures:
• Interest to fellow Israelites was forbidden (Exodus 22:25; Leviticus 25:35-37).
• Collateral could be required, but was subject to strict limits that protected the poor (Deuteronomy 24:6, 10-13).
• Debts were released every seventh year (Deuteronomy 15:1-3) and land was restored in the Jubilee (Leviticus 25:8-17).

By regulating מַשָּׁאָה, the covenant aimed to prevent the concentration of wealth and the enslavement of the vulnerable, reflecting God’s redemptive character.

Theological Significance

1. Stewardship under divine ownership: All assets ultimately belong to the Lord (Psalm 24:1). Lending thus becomes an act of entrusted stewardship rather than exploitation.
2. Mercy and righteousness: The creditor who honors the spirit of Deuteronomy 24 mirrors God’s mercy toward the needy (Psalm 112:4-5).
3. Debt as a spiritual metaphor: Financial obligation foreshadows humanity’s deeper moral debt. The regulated remission of מַשָּׁאָה anticipates the ultimate cancellation accomplished by Christ, “having canceled the record of debt… nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:14).

Practical Ministry Applications

• Benevolence funds: Churches can model the Mosaic ethic by offering interest-free assistance and safeguarding recipients’ dignity.
• Financial counseling: Proverbs 22:26 urges discernment before cosigning or overextending credit, a principle vital for modern discipleship in a debt-driven culture.
• Advocacy: Believers engaged in microfinance or community development can press for fair lending standards that reflect biblical justice.

Connections with New Testament Teaching

• Jesus calls His followers to lend without expecting repayment (Luke 6:34-35), deepening the compassion embedded in Deuteronomy 24.
• Paul urges, “Owe no one anything, except to love one another” (Romans 13:8), echoing Proverbs 22:26’s warning against binding obligations.
• The Lord’s Prayer, “forgive us our debts” (Matthew 6:12), transforms economic language into a plea for divine grace, grounding Christian ethics of lending in the gospel itself.

Christ-Centered Fulfillment

The temporary remission of מַשָּׁאָה pointed beyond itself to a final Jubilee. In Jesus Christ, God not only protects borrowers but becomes the guarantor of sinners, absorbing their liability. The cross pays the unpayable, freeing believers to live open-handedly toward others.

Summary

מַשָּׁאָה is more than a technical term for a loan; it encapsulates a theology of compassionate stewardship, caution against presumptuous debt, and the gospel promise of ultimate release. In honoring its principles, God’s people bear witness to the One who lends without conditions and forgives without limit.

מַשַּׁ֣את מַשָּׁאֽוֹת׃ משאות׃ משאת maš·šā·’ō·wṯ maš·šaṯ mashshaot mashShat maššā’ōwṯ maššaṯInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts