Hebrew word · H4539

מָסָךְ

masakh

covering

A screen or curtain that hangs over or across something. About two dozen uses, almost all for the tabernacle: the screen at the tent's entrance (Exod 26:36–37), the screen of the courtyard gate (Exod 27:16), and 'the veil of the screen' before the ark (Exod 35:12; 39:34; 40:21).

Appears 25 times in 25 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

1) covering, rag, screen

1a) covering

1b) screen (of the tabernacle)

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Psalm 105:39

Range of meaning

A screen or curtain that hangs over or across something. About two dozen uses, almost all for the tabernacle: the screen at the tent's entrance (Exod 26:36–37), the screen of the courtyard gate (Exod 27:16), and 'the veil of the screen' before the ark (Exod 35:12; 39:34; 40:21). Elsewhere: a cloth spread over the mouth of a well to hide men (2 Sam 17:19), and Judah's defensive 'covering' that was stripped away (Isa 22:8). Here it is the only use in the Psalms.

Against the English

'Covering' (KJV, BSB, WEB, YLT) is acceptable, but it can sound like a blanket, or like the church sense of 'covering' (atonement, or spiritual authority). The Hebrew word is about a hung or spread screen that shelters and hides. 'Screen' or 'canopy' is closer.

How it drifted

In English religious vocabulary 'covering' became loaded through 'covering of sin' (Hebrew kāsâ / kipper) and modern talk of 'spiritual covering'. Māsāk is a different root (sākak, 'to screen, overshadow') and has nothing to do with atonement.

Used elsewhere in the period

Built from sākak, 'to screen, shelter', which is also used of the cherubim 'overshadowing' the ark (Exod 25:20) and of God 'sheltering' someone (Ps 91:4; 140:7). The Septuagint translates it skepē, 'shelter, protection'. The Vulgate has in protectionem, 'for protection'.

From the study of Exodus 40:5

Range of meaning

A screen or covering, from sakhak, 'to cover, shield, screen off.' In the tabernacle it names the entrance hanging of the tent (Exod 26:36) and the courtyard gate hanging (27:16). It is also used, as 'the veil of the screen' (paroket hammasakh), for the inner veil (35:12; 40:21).

Against the English

KJV says 'hanging of the door,' ESV and WEB 'screen.' BSB and NLT say 'curtain,' which is fine on its own. But many readers link 'curtain' in the tabernacle or temple with the veil before the Holy of Holies, the one torn at Jesus' death (Matt 27:51). This verse is about a different, outer hanging.

How it drifted

English Bibles use 'curtain' for several different Hebrew words: yeri'ah (the tent's fabric panels), parokhet (the inner veil) and masakh (entrance screens). The distinctions in the Hebrew get flattened.

Used elsewhere in the period

Its make-up is described in Exod 26:36–37 and 36:37–38: embroidered blue, purple and scarlet yarn with twisted linen, hung on five acacia pillars overlaid with gold, set in five bronze bases. Bronze bases mark it as a boundary piece facing the courtyard.

From the study of Exodus 26:37

Range of meaning

A screen, covering or hanging that blocks off an opening. From the root s-k-k, 'to cover, screen, shelter'. In the tabernacle texts it names three hangings: the one at the tent's entrance (26:36–37), the one at the courtyard gate (27:16), and, in the phrase 'veil of the screen' (paroket hamasakh, 35:12; 39:34; 40:21), the inner veil seen as a screen.

Against the English

KJV says 'hanging', YLT 'covering', WEB 'screen', BSB 'curtain'. 'Curtain' is fine, but it can blur the line between this outer screen and the inner veil, which Hebrew keeps apart with a different word (parokhet).

Used elsewhere in the period

Used in Exodus 26–40 and Numbers 3–4, where the Gershonite Levites are put in charge of carrying 'the screen for the entrance of the tent of meeting' (Num 3:25). The related verb describes the cherubim 'screening' or 'sheltering' the ark (Exod 25:20).

Similar words

Where it appears

Exodus · 16

  1. Exodus 26:36 מָסָךְ֙ a screen

    For the entrance to the tent, you are to make a curtain embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen.

  2. Exodus 26:37 לַמָּסָ֗ךְ for the screen

    Make five posts of acacia wood for the curtain, overlay them with gold, use hooks of gold, and cast five bronze bases for them.

    Here: 'For the screen', meaning the embroidered hanging across the doorway of the tent described in the previous verse. The word comes from a root meaning 'to cover, screen off'. It is a different, lesser word from the 'veil' (parokhet) that sealed off the Most Holy Place.

  3. Exodus 27:16 מָסָ֣ךְ׀ a screen

    The gate of the courtyard shall be twenty cubits long, with a curtain embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen. It shall have four posts and four bases.

  4. Exodus 35:12 הַמָּסָֽךְ׃ the screen

    the ark with its poles and mercy seat, and the veil to shield it;

  5. Exodus 35:15 מָסַ֥ךְ [the] screen of

    the altar of incense with its poles; the anointing oil and fragrant incense; the curtain for the doorway at the entrance to the tabernacle;

  6. Exodus 35:17 מָסַ֖ךְ [the] screen of

    the curtains of the courtyard with its posts and bases, and the curtain for the gate of the courtyard;

  7. Exodus 36:37 מָסָךְ֙ a screen

    For the entrance to the tent, he made a curtain embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen,

  8. Exodus 38:18 וּמָסַ֞ךְ and [the] screen of

    The curtain for the entrance to the courtyard was embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen. It was twenty cubits long and, like the curtains of the courtyard, five cubits high,

  9. Exodus 39:34 הַמָּסָֽךְ׃ the screen

    the covering of ram skins dyed red, the covering of fine leather, and the veil of the covering;

  10. Exodus 39:38 מָסַ֖ךְ [the] screen of

    the gold altar, the anointing oil, the fragrant incense, and the curtain for the entrance to the tent;

    Here: A hanging that screens an opening. It comes from a root meaning "to cover or screen off." This one is the embroidered fabric screen across the front of the tent (26:36–37).

  11. Exodus 39:40 הַמָּסָךְ֙ the screen

    the curtains of the courtyard with its posts and bases; the curtain for the gate of the courtyard, its ropes and tent pegs, and all the equipment for the service of the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting;

  12. Exodus 40:5 מָסַ֥ךְ [the] screen of

    Place the gold altar of incense in front of the ark of the Testimony, and hang the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle.

    Here: "Screen of." The word comes from a root meaning 'to cover, shield.' This was the embroidered hanging of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, hung on five gold-covered pillars at the tent's front (Exod 26:36–37). It is not the inner veil, which has its own name, parokhet.

  13. Exodus 40:8 מָסַ֖ךְ [the] screen of

    Set up the surrounding courtyard and hang the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard.

  14. Exodus 40:21 הַמָּסָ֔ךְ the screen

    Then he brought the ark into the tabernacle, put up the veil for the screen, and shielded off the ark of the Testimony, just as the LORD had commanded him.

  15. Exodus 40:28 מָסַ֥ךְ [the] screen of

    Then he put up the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle.

  16. Exodus 40:33 מָסַ֖ךְ [the] screen of

    And Moses set up the courtyard around the tabernacle and the altar, and he hung the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard. So Moses finished the work.

Numbers · 6

  1. Numbers 3:25 וּמָסַ֕ךְ and [the] screen of

    The duties of the Gershonites at the Tent of Meeting were the tabernacle and tent, its covering, the curtain for the entrance to the Tent of Meeting,

  2. Numbers 3:26 מָסַךְ֙ [the] screen of

    the curtains of the courtyard, the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard that surrounds the tabernacle and altar, and the cords—all the service for these items.

  3. Numbers 3:31 וְהַ֨מָּסָ֔ךְ and the screen

    Their duties were the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the articles of the sanctuary used with them, and the curtain—all the service for these items.

  4. Numbers 4:5 הַמָּסָ֑ךְ the screen

    Whenever the camp sets out, Aaron and his sons are to go in, take down the veil of the curtain, and cover the ark of the Testimony with it.

  5. Numbers 4:25 מָסַ֔ךְ [the] screen of

    They are to carry the curtains of the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting with the covering of fine leather over it, the curtains for the entrance to the Tent of Meeting,

  6. Numbers 4:26 מָסַ֣ךְ׀ [the] screen of

    the curtains of the courtyard, and the curtains for the entrance at the gate of the courtyard that surrounds the tabernacle and altar, along with their ropes and all the equipment for their service. The Gershonites will do all that needs to be done with these items.

2 Samuel · 1

  1. 2 Samuel 17:19 הַמָּסָךְ֙ the covering

    Then the man’s wife took a covering, spread it over the mouth of the well, and scattered grain over it so nobody would know a thing.

Psalms · 1

  1. Psalm 105:39 לְמָסָ֑ךְ to a covering

    He spread a cloud as a covering and a fire to light up the night.

    Here: 'To serve as a screen.' Māsāk is the word for the hanging curtains of the tabernacle, so the cloud is pictured as a tent curtain stretched over the people: shade and shelter, not guidance.

Isaiah · 1

  1. Isaiah 22:8 מָסַ֣ךְ [the] covering of

    He has uncovered the defenses of Judah. On that day you looked to the weapons in the House of the Forest.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.