מָשָׁל
Mashal, a place in Palestine
Definition
Mashal is a proper noun referring to a specific location within the territory of Asher, as recorded in the Old Testament. It was one of the towns allotted to the Levites from the tribe of Asher's inheritance, designated as a city of refuge (1 Chronicles 6:74). In the parallel list in Joshua 21:30, this same city is called Mishal, which is a variant spelling of the same place. The town served a religious and judicial function within the tribal system of ancient Israel.
Biblical Usage
The word מָשָׁל (Mashal) is used only once in the Old Testament, specifically in 1 Chronicles 6:74, within a list of cities given to the Levites. Its usage is purely geographical, identifying a town within the tribal allotment of Asher. The parallel account in Joshua 21:30 uses the variant 'Mishal' for the same location, indicating it was a known Levitical city.
Etymology
The name Mashal is derived from the Hebrew root שָׁאַל (sha'al, H7592), meaning 'to ask, request, or borrow.' It is related to the word מִשְׁאָל (mish'al, H4861), which means 'request' or 'thing asked for.' As a place name, Mashal likely carries a sense of 'petition' or 'entreaty,' possibly reflecting a historical event or characteristic associated with the location.
Semantic Range
As a Levitical city, Mashal is part of the system God established for the tribe of Levi, who received no tribal land inheritance but were given cities scattered among the other tribes (Joshua 21). This arrangement ensured the Levites, who were dedicated to religious service and teaching the law, were distributed throughout Israel, promoting spiritual unity and access to instruction. Understanding Mashal in this context highlights God's provision for worship and the integration of spiritual leadership within the community.
In ancient Israelite culture, Levitical cities like Mashal served multiple purposes. They provided homes and pasturelands for the Levites (Numbers 35:1-8) and some, though not Mashal specifically, functioned as cities of refuge. Their distribution among the tribes was a practical and symbolic way to keep the knowledge of God's law accessible to all Israelites, preventing religious centralization and fostering a national identity rooted in covenant faithfulness.
Mishal (Mish'al, H4861) — A variant spelling for the same Levitical city, used in Joshua 21:30.
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.
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