Original Word: מִשְׁנֶה
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: mishneh
Pronunciation: mish-neh'
Phonetic Spelling: (mish-neh')
KJV: college, copy, double, fatlings, next, second (order), twice as much
NASB: second, double, copy, twofold, doubly, fatlings
Word Origin: [from H8138 (שָׁנָה - second time)]

1. (properly) a repetition, i.e. a duplicate (copy of a document), or a double (in amount)
2. (by implication) a second (in order, rank, age, quality or location)

college, copy, double, fatlings, next, second order, twice as much

From shanah; properly, a repetition, i.e. A duplicate (copy of a document), or a double (in amount); by implication, a second (in order, rank, age, quality or location) -- college, copy, double, fatlings, next, second (order), twice as much.

see HEBREW shanah

Word Origin
from shanah
Definition
a double, copy, second
NASB Translation
copy (2), double (6), doubly (1), fatlings (1), next (1), Second (3), second (16), second rank (1), twice (1), twice as much (1), twofold (2).

מִשְׁנֶה noun [masculine] double, copy, second; — absolute ׳מ Genesis 41:43 +; construct מִשְׁנֵה Jeremiah 16:18 3t., so read also Deuteronomy 15:18 (van d. H., > נֶה- Gi), Jeremiah 17:18 (Gie Buhl and others); suffix מִשְׁנֵהוּ 1 Samuel 8:2 +; plural מִשְׁנִים 1 Chronicles 15:18 (1 Samuel 15:9; Ezra 1:10 see below); —

1 (the) double: ׳כֶּסֶף מ Genesis 43:12 (J) money of double amount, compare כֶּסֶף ׳מ Genesis 43:15 (J), a double amount (in) money (Ges^{§ 131q}); ׳לֶחֶם מ Exodus 16:22 (P); עַל אֲשֶׁר׳מ ׳וגו Exodus 16:5 (P) the double above what they gathered daily; מִשְׁנֵה שְׂכַר שָׂכִיר Deuteronomy 15:18 (see Dr); עֲוֺנָם ׳מ Jeremiah 16:18 the double of their guilt, Jeremiah 17:18 (see above); a double portion Isaiah 61:7 (twice in verse); Zechariah 9:12; Job 42:10.

2 written copy of law Deuteronomy 17:18; Joshua 8:32 (D).

3 second in order

a. second, rank, ׳מִרְכֶּבֶת הַמּ Genesis 41:43 (J), ׳רֶכֶב הַמּ2Chronicles 35:24; of person one second in rank, priest next to high-priest, ׳(הַ)מ 2 Kings 23:4; 2 Kings 25:18 = Jeremiah 52:24; ׳אֶהְיֶהלְּֿךָ לְמ 1 Samuel 23:17, מִשְׁנֵה הַמֶּלֶךְ2Chronicles 28:7, לַמֶּלֶךְ ׳מ Esther 10:3; 1 Chronicles 15:18; 1 Chronicles 16:5; 2Chronicles 31:12; מֵאֶחָיו ׳מ Nehemiah 11:17. — 1 Samuel 15:9 read (compare ᵑ6 ᵑ7) הַמַּשְׁמַנִּים (Nehemiah 8:10) Th, הַשְּׁמַנִּים or הַשְּׁמֵנִים We Dr Bu, etc. (Ezekiel 34:16); ׳מִשׁ Ezra 1:10 is apparently corruption of a numeral.

b. second in age, 1 Samuel 8:2; 1 Samuel 17:13; 2 Samuel 3:3; 1 Chronicles 5:12.

3 second quarter, district, of city, הַמִּשְׁנֶה 2 Kings 22:14 2Chronicles 34:22; Zephaniah 1:10, compare הָעִיר מִשְׁנֶה Nehemiah 11:9 over the city, namely, the second quarter.

Semantic Range and Core Idea

“מִשְׁנֶה” consistently conveys the idea of “the second, the double, or the copy.” Whether it denotes a person who is second in rank, a double portion, a duplicated document, or a secondary district, the word always points to something that repeats or is multiplied.

Distribution in Scripture

Roughly thirty-five passages across the Pentateuch, Historical Books, Wisdom Literature, and Prophets employ the term, creating a woven testimony that spans Israel’s covenant life—from Joseph’s elevation in Egypt to the prophetic warnings of Zephaniah.

Representative Categories of Usage

1. Second in Rank and Authority

• Genesis 41:43 – Pharaoh seats Joseph “in the chariot of his second in command,” signaling delegated authority that still answers to the throne.
• 2 Kings 23:4 – Josiah orders “the priests of the second order” to purge the House of the Lord. Here “second” marks tiered priestly responsibility while maintaining continuity of sacred duty.

2. Double Portion of Inheritance or Blessing

• Deuteronomy 21:17 – The firstborn son receives “a double portion of all that he has,” underscoring primogeniture and covenant promise.
• 1 Samuel 1:5 – Elkanah gives Hannah “a double portion, for he loved her,” revealing how overflow mirrors the Father’s generous heart.
• Isaiah 61:7 alludes to future comfort: “Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion.” Though the prophet uses poetic escalation, the term remains anchored in legal reality—restoration in precise measure.

3. Double Payment or Compensation

• Deuteronomy 15:18 – When a slave is released, his six years of service are reckoned “twice the wages of a hired worker,” teaching owners to value covenant brothers as God values them.
• Jeremiah 16:18 foretells retributive justice: “I will repay them double for their iniquity and their sin.” Compensation exacts proportional righteousness.

4. Duplicate Copy of Covenant Documents

• Deuteronomy 17:18 – Israel’s king must “write for himself a copy of this Law” and read it all his days, binding ruler and ruled alike to the revealed word.
• Joshua 8:32 – Joshua engraves “a copy of the Law of Moses” on stones at Shechem, reenacting Sinai for the new generation.
• Jeremiah 36:32 – After Jehoiakim burns Jeremiah’s scroll, “Baruch wrote on a scroll the words of the scroll that Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned… and many similar words were added to them.” God’s message cannot be erased; it will be copied and amplified.

5. Second District, Wall, or Quarter of Jerusalem

• 2 Kings 22:14; 2 Chronicles 34:22 – The prophetess Huldah lives “in Jerusalem, in the Second District,” illustrating urban expansion beyond the original City of David.
• Zephaniah 1:10 – “A loud crash from the hills, a great wailing from the Second District,” making even newly formed neighborhoods accountable to divine judgment.
• Nehemiah 12:38 speaks of “the broad wall” and its “second” segment; the rebuilt city maintains tiered defenses, reflecting meticulous stewardship.

6. Second Layer, Measure, or Folding

• Exodus 26:5–10 repeatedly calls for “a second set” of loops and clasps in the tabernacle curtains, symbolizing symmetry and stability in worship.
• Ezekiel 41:7 describes a temple wall that became wider “with each successive level,” literally “by the second,” portraying ever-increasing access toward the holy.

Key Theological Themes

• Continuity under Delegated Authority – Joseph’s promotion and the graded priesthood show that second-level leaders uphold, not rival, the sovereignty above them.
• Proportional Restitution – Whether blessing or judgment, God doubles what is due, teaching both generosity and accountability.
• Preservation of Revelation – The commanded copy of the Law and Jeremiah’s rewritten scroll highlight the Spirit’s safeguarding of Scripture against human tampering.
• Hope of Restoration – Prophetic promises of a “double portion” assure that covenant loss will meet covenant surplus in God’s timing.

Historical Backdrop

“מִשְׁנֶה” emerges in the social fabric of the Ancient Near East where hierarchies, inheritances, and legal copies were essential for order. Israel’s adoption of the term, however, elevates it beyond administrative utility: the second chariot, the double inheritance, and the duplicate scroll all become vessels of covenant faithfulness. Even Jerusalem’s “Second District”—built during Hezekiah’s expansion—testifies that growth is meaningful only when aligned with divine purpose.

Ministry Implications

• Discipleship mirrors “mishneh.” A mature believer trains a second, duplicating doctrine (2 Timothy 2:2).
• Leadership succession is validated: Moses–Joshua, Elijah–Elisha. Each “second” must hold a faithful copy of the truth.
• Pastoral care should aim for “double honor” (1 Timothy 5:17) toward those who labor in the word—echoing the Old Testament principle of the double portion.
• Preaching must reaffirm that Scripture, though attacked, will always have its “copy” preserved; therefore, confidence in the written word is non-negotiable.

Survey of Principal Passages

Genesis 41:43; Exodus 26:5–10; Deuteronomy 15:18; 17:18; 21:17; Joshua 8:32; 1 Samuel 1:5; 2 Kings 22:14; 23:4; 2 Chronicles 34:22; Nehemiah 12:38; Isaiah 61:7; Jeremiah 16:18; 36:32; Zephaniah 1:10, among others.

Summary

“מִשְׁנֶה” threads a theology of faithful repetition—authority extended, blessing multiplied, law preserved, judgment balanced, and hope enlarged. Through every “second,” God’s first purposes stand unshaken.

בַּמִּשְׁנֶ֑ה במשנה הַמִּשְׁנִ֑ים הַמִּשְׁנֶ֑ה הַמִּשְׁנֶה֙ הַמִּשְׁנֶה֮ המשנה המשנים וְהַמִּשְׁנִ֤ים וּמִשְׁנֵ֙הוּ֙ וּמִשְׁנֵ֣הוּ וּמִשְׁנֶ֥ה וּמִשְׁנֶה־ והמשנים ומשנה ומשנה־ ומשנהו לְמִשְׁנֶ֑ה לְמִשְׁנֶֽה׃ למשנה למשנה׃ מִשְׁנִ֔ים מִשְׁנֵ֖הוּ מִשְׁנֵ֤ה מִשְׁנֵ֥ה מִשְׁנֵ֨ה מִשְׁנֵה֙ מִשְׁנֶ֑ה מִשְׁנֶ֔ה מִשְׁנֶ֖ה מִשְׁנֶ֣ה מִשְׁנֶֽה׃ מִשְׁנֶה֙ משנה משנה׃ משנהו משנים bam·miš·neh bammishNeh bammišneh ham·miš·neh ham·miš·nîm hammishNeh hammishNim hammišneh hammišnîm lə·miš·neh lemishNeh ləmišneh miš·nê·hū miš·neh miš·nêh miš·nîm mishNeh mishNehu mishNim mišneh mišnêh mišnêhū mišnîm ū·miš·nê·hū ū·miš·neh ū·miš·neh- umishneh umishNehu ūmišneh ūmišneh- ūmišnêhū vehammishNim wə·ham·miš·nîm wəhammišnîmInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts