H4886 — מָשַׁח (mâshach)¶

Core Data¶

Strong's: H4886
Original: מָשַׁח
Transliteration: mâshach
Pronunciation: maw-shakh
Part of Speech: Verb (primitive root)
Root: Primary root — no parent verb; gives rise to H4899 mashiyach and H4888 mishchah
Occurrences: 66 unique verses (77 tokens) in OT
Books: 16
First Occurrence: Gen 31:13 — "where thou anointedst the pillar"
Hapax Legomenon: No

Lexicon Definition¶

A primitive root; to rub with oil, i.e. to anoint; by implication, to consecrate; also to paint. KJV renders: anoint, paint.

Verb Stem Distribution¶

Stem	Typical Forms Attested	Typical Meaning
Qal active (finite)	Wayyiqtol 3ms/3mp, Perfect 1s/3ms, Imperfect 2ms	he/they anointed; I anointed you; thou shalt anoint
Qal Infinitive Construct	לִמְשֹׁחַ	to anoint
Qal Participle	מְשֻׁחִים (mp), functions as passive	the anointed ones; anointed/smeared with oil

Note: All attested forms parse as Qal. The passive meaning "be anointed" is expressed through the Qal participle, not a Niphal or Pual stem.

Translation Distribution (KJV)¶

Translation	Verses	%
anoint / anointed / thou shalt anoint (and variants)	~65	~98%
painted	1	1.5%

The single non-anointing use is Jer 22:14 — "cieled with cedar, and painted with vermilion" — likely a secondary sense of smearing/spreading pigment.

Distribution by Book¶

Book	Count	Per 100 Verses
Exodus	11	0.9
2 Samuel	7	1.0
1 Samuel	7	0.9
Leviticus	8	0.9
Numbers	7	0.5
1 Kings	6	0.7
2 Kings	5	0.7
1 Chronicles	3	0.3
Judges	2	0.3
Isaiah	2	0.2
2 Chronicles	2	0.2
Psalms	2	0.1
Daniel	1	0.3
Amos	1	0.7
Jeremiah	1	0.1
Genesis	1	0.1

Heaviest density in the ritual law books (Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers) and the historical narratives of kingship (Samuel, Kings). Conspicuously absent from the Wisdom literature. The two Psalm uses (Ps 45:7; 89:20) are royal/messianic contexts.

Semantic Categories¶

1. Anointing of Sacred Objects¶

The tabernacle, altar, laver, and all cultic vessels are anointed with oil to consecrate them for service. Anointing makes an object "most holy" (qodesh qodashim). - Exo 40:9 — "thou shalt take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle, and all that is therein, and shalt hallow it" - Exo 40:10-11 — "thou shalt anoint the altar of the burnt offering… anoint the laver and his foot" - Num 7:1 — "Moses had fully set up the tabernacle, and had anointed it, and sanctified it"

2. Anointing of Priests¶

Aaron and his sons are anointed to consecrate them to the priestly office. The act effects their separation from the common and their appointment to stand before YHWH. - Exo 28:41 — "thou shalt anoint them, and consecrate them, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office" - Lev 8:12 — "he poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron's head, and anointed him, to sanctify him" - Num 3:3 — "the sons of Aaron, the priests which were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister"

3. Anointing of Kings¶

The dominant use by frequency. Kings of Israel and Judah — Saul, David, Solomon, Jehu, Joash, Jehoahaz — are installed by anointing, typically performed by a prophet or priest at YHWH's command. - 1 Sam 16:13 — "Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David" - 2 Sam 2:4 — "the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah" - 1 Kings 1:39 — "Zadok the priest took an horn of oil… and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet" - 2 Kings 9:6 — "he poured the oil on his head, and said… Thus saith the LORD, I have anointed thee king over Israel"

4. YHWH as Direct Agent¶

In a subset of uses, YHWH himself is the subject of mashach — he anoints through his Spirit or by direct declaration, elevating the act from human ceremony to divine appointment. - Isa 61:1 — "the Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek" - Ps 45:7 — "God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows" - Ps 89:20 — "I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him" - 2 Sam 12:7 — "Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel"

5. Eschatological / Terminal Use¶

The one instance in prophetic literature pointing beyond the historical anointing cycle to a definitive future act. - Dan 9:24 — "to anoint (lim'shoach) the most holy (qodesh qodashim)" — the sixth of six goals of the seventy weeks; the object is a place or person, not a routine king

6. Non-Ritual / Secular Uses¶

A small cluster where mashach describes smearing without consecration — anointing a stone, applying oil to a shield, self-application of perfume, and once painting a wall. - Gen 31:13 — "where thou anointedst the pillar" — Jacob's stone pillar at Bethel - Isa 21:5 — "arise, ye princes, and anoint the shield" — soldiers oiling leather shields before battle - Amos 6:6 — "anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph" - Jer 22:14 — "cieled with cedar, and painted with vermilion" — the lone non-oil use

Common Collocations¶

Word	Strong's	Co-occurrences	Typical Pattern
עַל (al)	H5921	29x (44%)	poured/anointed upon the head
מֶלֶךְ (melek)	H4428	24x (36%)	anoint as king
יְהֹוָה (YHWH)	H3068	18x (27%)	YHWH commands or performs the anointing
שֶׁמֶן (shemen)	H8081	17x (26%)	the oil used in anointing
יִשְׂרָאֵל (Israel)	H3478	15x (23%)	king over Israel
קָדַשׁ (qadash)	H6942	11x (17%)	anoint and sanctify — paired in cultic sequences
דָּוִד (David)	H1732	10x (15%)	the paradigmatic anointed king
קֹדֶשׁ (qodesh)	H6944	7x (11%)	holy anointing or holy place being anointed
כֹּהֵן (kohen)	H3548	7x (11%)	anoint a priest / Zadok the priest anoints
מִזְבֵּחַ (mizbéach)	H4196	7x (11%)	anoint the altar

Word Family (Cognates)¶

H4888 מִשְׁחָה (mishchah) — anointing, anointing oil; the substance or act (26x in OT, almost entirely in Exodus-Numbers)
H4899 מָשִׁיחַ (mashiyach) — the anointed one; the Messiah; derived from H4886 as a substantive participle
H4473 מִמְשַׁח (mimshach) — outspread (Ezek 28:14 only, of the covering cherub); from H4886 in the sense of spreading/extension

Synonyms¶

No synonyms returned by search_relationships.py for H4886.

Antonyms¶

No antonyms returned by search_relationships.py for H4886.

Easily Confused Words¶

Word	Strong's	Shared Translation	Key Difference
סוּךְ (suk)	H5480	"anoint"	suk = personal/cosmetic application (Ruth 3:3, 2Sa 12:20); mashach = ritual/official consecration
מָשִׁיחַ (mashiyach)	H4899	"anointed"	mashiyach is the person consecrated; mashach is the act of consecrating
ἀλείφω (aleipho)	G218	"anoint"	NT: aleipho = ordinary personal anointing (Jas 5:14); χρίω (chrio) = official/divine anointing, the NT equivalent of mashach

UBS Semantic Domains¶

Code	Domain Label	Notes
002003001016	Rub	Core physical sense of rubbing or smearing with oil or pigment, including the non-ritual "painted" use in Jer 22:14.
002002002008	Role	Official-installation domain where anointing marks priestly, royal, or sacred office.

LXX Mapping¶

Greek Equivalent	Strong's	Co-occ	PMI Score	Notes
χρίω (chríō)	G5548	51x	8.21	Primary — dominant equivalent for official/ritual anointing
ἔλαιον (élaion)	G1637	15x	5.00	Oil noun appears in same verses; not a direct verb translation
ἁγιάζω (hagiázō)	G37	9x	4.50	Co-occurs when mashach and qadash appear together
ἱερατεύω (hierateúō)	G2407	6x	6.64	Priestly service context
ἀλείφω (aleíphō)	G218	3x	6.01	Used for the less formal/non-cultic anointing passages

The near-exclusive LXX rendering is χρίω (G5548), which then appears 5x in the NT always of divine/official anointing (Luke 4:18; Acts 4:27; Acts 10:38; 2 Cor 1:21; Heb 1:9).