מַעֲמָסָה
burdensomeness
Definition
The Hebrew noun מַעֲמָסָה (maʻămâçâh) refers to a state or quality of being a heavy burden, weight, or oppressive load. It denotes something that is burdensome, oppressive, or causing weariness. The word is derived from the root meaning 'to load' or 'to carry,' emphasizing the concept of a weighty imposition. In its sole biblical occurrence in Zechariah 12:3, it describes Jerusalem becoming a crushing, immovable burden to the nations that attempt to besiege it.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in the prophetic book of Zechariah. It appears in Zechariah 12:3 within a context of divine judgment and protection. The prophet declares that Jerusalem will become a 'maʻămâçâh'—a burdensome, immovable stone—for all the peoples who gather against it. The usage is metaphorical, describing not a physical object but a state of being an insurmountable and exhausting obstacle imposed by God on Jerusalem's enemies.
Etymology
The noun מַעֲמָסָה is derived from the root עָמַס (ʻāmas, H6006), which means 'to load,' 'to carry,' or 'to bear a burden.' It is a feminine noun formed with the מַ- (ma-) prefix, indicating a place or instrument of the action, hence 'a place/state of bearing a load' or 'that which causes a burden.' Cognates in other Semitic languages carry similar meanings related to bearing weight or being laden.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it portrays God's sovereign intervention in history to protect His people. In Zechariah 12:3, Jerusalem's transformation into a 'burdensome stone' illustrates a divine reversal: the city, often seen as vulnerable, becomes an instrument of God's judgment, exhausting and crushing its attackers. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches the reading by highlighting the active, imposing nature of God's protection, which is not merely defensive but actively burdensome and destructive to the enemies of His covenant people.
In the ancient Near Eastern context, a heavy, immovable stone was a powerful metaphor for an insurmountable obstacle or a crushing weight. Siege warfare was common, and a city under attack was typically the vulnerable party. Zechariah's prophecy subverts this expectation, declaring that Jerusalem itself would become the burden—a crushing load—upon the nations. This would have been a striking and counter-cultural image of divine reversal for the original audience.
מַשָּׂא (maśśā’, H4853) — A more common term for 'burden,' often used for literal loads, prophetic oracles, or a task. מַעֲמָסָה emphasizes the quality of being burdensome or oppressive. עֹל (ʻōl, H5923) — Refers specifically to a 'yoke,' a symbol of subjugation, servitude, or a binding obligation, whereas מַעֲמָסָה focuses on the weight itself.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
Full methodology & sources →