Original Word: מְשִׁסָּה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: mchiccah
Pronunciation: meh-shis-sah'
Phonetic Spelling: (mesh-is-saw')
KJV: booty, spoil
NASB: plunder, spoil
Word Origin: [from H8155 (שָׁסַס - plundered)]

1. plunder

booty, spoil

From shacac; plunder -- booty, spoil.

see HEBREW shacac

Word Origin
from shasas
Definition
booty, plunder
NASB Translation
plunder (3), spoil (3).

מְשִׁסָּה noun feminine booty, plunder; — absolute ׳מ 2 Kings 21:14 +, so Isaiah 42:24 Qr (מְשִׁסָּה Gi, מְשִׁיסָּה Baer; Kt משוסה, usually read מְשׁוּסָּה, < read מְשׁוֺסֶה, see שׁסה

Po`.); plural absolute מְשִׁסּוֺה Habakkuk 2:7; — plunder, spoil, prey, usually ׳הָיָה לִמ (and "" בַּז) 2 Kings 21:14; Jeremiah 30:16; Habakkuk 2:7; Zephaniah 1:13 ("" שְׁמָמָה), compare Isaiah 42:22 (Isaiah 42:24 see above).

Overview

מְשִׁסָּה describes the condition or property of “plunder, spoil, prey.” It appears five times in the Old Testament and is always connected with divine commentary on judgment or reversal of fortunes. Whether applied to Judah, the nations, or an individual oppressor, the word signals that what once seemed secure will be violently stripped away.

Occurrences and Contexts

• 2 Kings 21:14 – In response to Manasseh’s idolatry, the Lord warns that Judah will “become plunder and spoil to all their enemies.”
• Isaiah 42:22 – Israel is portrayed as “a people plundered and looted,” imprisoned and helpless because of persistent deafness to God’s voice.
• Jeremiah 30:16 – In the “Book of Consolation,” the Lord vows that “Those who plunder you will be plundered,” promising redemptive justice for Jacob’s offspring.
• Habakkuk 2:7 – The Babylonian oppressor who amassed wealth by extortion will suddenly “become their prey,” highlighting the certainty of retributive justice.
• Zephaniah 1:13 – On the Day of the Lord the complacent in Judah will see their “wealth…plundered, and their houses laid waste,” illustrating judgment beginning with the household of God.

Judgment and Covenant Accountability

מְשִׁסָּה underscores covenant accountability. In 2 Kings 21:14 the nation that abandoned God’s law forfeits covenant protection. The language evokes Deuteronomy 28:29 which foresaw that disobedience would make Israel “only oppressed and plundered continually.” Thus each prophetic use recalls the conditional nature of Israel’s blessings.

Divine Retribution and Reversal

Jeremiah 30:16 and Habakkuk 2:7 stress reversal. The plunderer becomes the plunder. This theme reflects Genesis 12:3—those who curse Abraham’s seed will be cursed. God’s sovereignty ensures that injustice, even when temporarily unchecked, will ultimately recoil upon the perpetrator.

Prophetic Echoes of Restoration

While מְשִׁסָּה often signals loss, its usage in Jeremiah 30 sets the stage for restoration. By pledging to plunder Israel’s plunderers, the Lord not only vindicates His people but also re-affirms His covenant commitment: “I will restore you to health and heal your wounds” (Jeremiah 30:17). The term therefore functions as a dark backdrop against which salvation shines more brightly.

Intertextual Links with New Testament Teaching

The principle embodied in מְשִׁסָּה resurfaces in the New Testament’s teaching on sowing and reaping (Galatians 6:7) and divine vengeance (Romans 12:19). The believer is warned against envy of the wicked’s apparent security (James 5:1-5) because, as Habakkuk affirms, ill-gotten gain turns to spoil in God’s timing.

Applications for Ministry

1. Warning Against Idolatry – Like Judah under Manasseh, any community that tolerates idolatry risks being handed over to spiritual and even material ruin.
2. Hope for the Oppressed – Victims of exploitation can anchor their hope in the God who promises, “Those who plunder you will be plundered” (Jeremiah 30:16).
3. Call to Integrity – Leaders tempted to gain wealth unjustly should heed Zephaniah’s oracle: “Their wealth will be plundered,” a sober reminder that unjust gain is never secure.
4. Evangelistic Bridge – The universal longing for justice finds its answer in the One who bore our judgment; the Messiah absorbs the ultimate plundering of sin so that His people may inherit eternal riches.

Summary

Across Kings and the Prophets, מְשִׁסָּה serves as a prophetic shorthand for the consequences of covenant infidelity and the certainty of divine justice. It warns, chastens, and ultimately directs the faithful to trust the righteous Judge whose judgments are true, whose mercies are sure, and whose kingdom cannot be plundered.

וְלִמְשִׁסָּ֖ה ולמשסה לִמְשִׁסָּ֔ה לִמְשִׁסּ֖וֹת למשסה למשסות מְשִׁסָּ֖ה משסה lim·šis·sāh lim·šis·sō·wṯ limshisSah limshisSot limšissāh limšissōwṯ mə·šis·sāh meshisSah məšissāh velimshisSah wə·lim·šis·sāh wəlimšissāhInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts