מֹסָר
admonition
Definition
מֹסָר (môçâr) refers to a specific form of instruction or admonition, particularly one that involves correction or discipline. It carries the sense of a warning or rebuke intended to guide someone away from error and toward right conduct. In its sole biblical occurrence in Job 33:16, it describes God's method of communicating with a person to turn them from prideful plans. The word implies a process of opening someone's ears to receive correction, often to preserve them from harm.
Biblical Usage
This word appears only once in the Old Testament, in the book of Job. In Job 33:16, Elihu describes how God speaks to humanity: 'Then he opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction (מֹסָר).' Here, it is used in a divine, revelatory context. God's 'instruction' or admonition is portrayed as a gracious act to turn a person from wrongdoing. The usage is specific to a context of divine-human communication aimed at moral correction and prevention of sin.
Etymology
מֹסָר is a noun derived from the root יָסַר (yāsar, H3256), which means 'to discipline, instruct, correct, or chasten.' This root is central to the concept of parental and divine discipline in the Old Testament (e.g., Proverbs 3:11-12). The noun form מֹסָר focuses on the content or act of that disciplinary instruction—the admonition itself. Related words include מוּסָר (mûsār, H4148), a more common term for instruction or discipline found frequently in Proverbs.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it captures a key aspect of God's character and interaction with humanity: His communicative, corrective love. In Job 33:16, מֹסָר is not mere information but a targeted, gracious intervention to save a person from self-destruction. It enriches the reading of Job by showing that even in suffering, God's purpose can include revelation and correction. It connects to the broader biblical theme of God as a loving Father who disciplines His children (Hebrews 12:5-6, quoting Proverbs 3:11-12).
In ancient Israelite wisdom culture, instruction and correction were highly valued, seen as essential for a successful and righteous life. A father's discipline (rooted in יָסַר) was a sign of love and care (Proverbs 13:24). The concept in Job 33:16 applies this familial model to the divine realm: God corrects His people as a father corrects a son. This contrasts with a modern view of rebuke as merely negative; in its context, it was a necessary and life-preserving act of wisdom.
מוּסָר (mûsār, H4148) — A more frequent and broad term for instruction, discipline, or chastening, common in wisdom literature. תּוֹכַחַת (tôḵaḥaṯ, H8433) — A rebuke or argument that proves wrongdoing, often involving confrontation.
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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