Original Word: מִשְׁקֶלֶת
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: mishqeleth
Pronunciation: mish-keh'-leth or mish-ko'-leth
Phonetic Spelling: (mish-keh'-leth)
KJV: plummet
NASB: level, plummet
Word Origin: [feminine of H4948 (מִשׁקָל - weight) or H4947 (מַשׁקוֹף - lintel)]

1. a weight, i.e. a plummet (with line attached)

plummet

Or mishqoleth {mish-ko'-leth}; feminine of mishqal or mashqowph; a weight, i.e. A plummet (with line attached) -- plummet.

see HEBREW mishqal

see HEBREW mashqowph

Word Origin
fem. of mishqal
Definition
a leveling instrument, a level
NASB Translation
level (1), plummet (1).

[מִשְׁקֶ֫לֶת], מִשְׁקֹ֫לֶת noun feminine levelling instrument, level (for horizontal accuracy); — absoluteמִשְׁקָ֑לֶת Isaiah 28:17 (figurative of צֶדָקָה;"" קַו); construct קֹ֫לֶת-, figurative, בֵּית אַחְאָב ׳מ 2 Kings 21:13.

Definition and Purpose

A plumb weight suspended from a cord to determine true vertical alignment in construction. In Scripture it becomes an image for God’s uncompromising standard that exposes every deviation from righteousness.

Occurrences

2 Kings 21:13; Isaiah 28:17.

Context in 2 Kings 21:13

“I will stretch over Jerusalem the measuring line used against Samaria and the plumb line used against the house of Ahab, and wipe Jerusalem as one wipes a bowl—wiping it and turning it upside down.”

Here the plumb weight announces the certainty of judgment on Manasseh’s idolatrous Jerusalem just as Samaria had been judged. The instrument that once guided builders now signals demolition; the same divine standard that establishes a people also removes them when they persist in rebellion.

Context in Isaiah 28:17

“I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the level; hail will sweep away your refuge of lies, and water will overflow your hiding place.”

The tool of masonry becomes a metaphor for divine evaluation. Judah trusted in political alliances and empty religious ritual, but the prophetic word insists that only justice and righteousness supply a reliable plumb.

Historical Background

Ancient builders used a shaped stone or lead weight tied to a string to check walls for straightness. The simplicity of the device underscores its reliability; gravity never lies. As cities rose in the Iron Age, such weights ensured integrity in both private dwellings and massive fortifications. Prophets borrowed a familiar sight from urban construction sites to communicate to citizens and rulers alike.

Symbolism of Moral Standard

1. Objective Measure: Just as a wall is either plumb or crooked, life is either aligned with God’s revealed will or not (Deuteronomy 6:17).
2. Exposure of Hidden Faults: A structure can appear sound until the plumb shows its lean; so God’s word uncovers secret compromises (Hebrews 4:12).
3. Impartiality: Gravity exerts the same pull everywhere; the Lord’s standard applies equally to all nations (Amos 7:7–8).

Prophetic Themes

• Judgment: The image warns that divine patience has limits; when the wall is irreparably skewed, demolition follows (2 Kings 21:13).
• Restoration: A plumb line is also used when rebuilding (Zechariah 4:10). After judgment, God measures anew, promising a future Jerusalem built upon righteousness.
• Covenant Faithfulness: The same standard that condemns also protects; those who walk uprightly live within walls secured by justice (Isaiah 26:1–2).

Ministry Application

• Preaching: Use the plumb weight as an illustration of Scripture’s authority. Sermons and counseling must hang true to the canon, not cultural trends.
• Self-Examination: Believers regularly let the word dangle alongside motives, relationships, and ministries, correcting any lean before collapse.
• Leadership: Elders and parents serve as living plumb lines when their conduct models the commands they teach (1 Timothy 3:15).

Christological Outlook

Jesus Christ embodies the perfect alignment of humanity with God’s will—“the stone the builders rejected” yet placed as the chief cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20). In Him the measuring line of justice and the level of righteousness find complete, gracious fulfillment. By union with Christ, the church is “being built together” into a structure that is plumb and fit for God’s dwelling (Ephesians 2:21–22).

Related Terms and Further Study

Measuring line (Isaiah 34:11), plumb line (Amos 7:7–8), level (Zechariah 4:10), cornerstone (Psalm 118:22), foundation (1 Corinthians 3:11).

לְמִשְׁקָ֑לֶת למשקלת מִשְׁקֹ֖לֶת משקלת lə·miš·qā·leṯ lemishKalet ləmišqāleṯ miš·qō·leṯ mishKolet mišqōleṯInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts