מִשְׁקוֹל

מִשְׁקוֹל

weight

Definition

מִשְׁקוֹל (mishqôwl) refers to a measured weight, specifically a rationed portion of food. In its sole biblical occurrence in Ezekiel 4:10, it describes a carefully weighed daily allowance of grain, set at twenty shekels, during a symbolic siege. This is not a general term for weight but denotes a specific, measured allotment for sustenance. The context emphasizes scarcity and divine judgment, as this meager ration is part of a prophetic act portraying the hardships of a famine.

Biblical Usage

This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in Ezekiel 4:10. It appears in the context of Ezekiel's symbolic acts, where God commands the prophet to consume food by weight (מִשְׁקוֹל) and measure during a dramatized siege of Jerusalem. The usage is highly specific, describing a strict, limited daily food ration intended to illustrate famine conditions under divine judgment.

Etymology

Derived from the root שָׁקַל (shāqal, H8254), meaning 'to weigh' or 'to pay.' The noun form מִשְׁקוֹל is a masculine noun built on the pattern for instruments or places, essentially meaning 'a thing for weighing' or 'a weighed portion.' It is related to the more common noun שֶׁקֶל (sheqel, H8255), the standard unit of weight and currency.

Semantic Range

Though used only once, מִשְׁקוֹל carries theological weight in its context. It visually communicates God's measured judgment and the severe consequences of covenant unfaithfulness. The precise, divinely ordained ration underscores that suffering under siege is not random but a deliberate, portioned-out consequence. Understanding this term enriches the reading of Ezekiel 4 by highlighting the intentionality and severity of the prophetic warning. In the ancient Near East, carefully weighing food, especially grain, was a practice associated with scarcity, trade, and royal or military rations. A daily 'mishqôwl' implies a situation of siege or famine where normal abundance is gone, and survival depends on strict, minimal allotments. This differs from a modern understanding where food is typically measured by volume; the biblical emphasis on weight stresses exactness and limitation. שֶׁקֶל (sheqel, H8255) — the standard unit of weight or coin. מִשְׁקָל (mishqāl, H4948) — a more general term for weight or the act of weighing.

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