מַס

n.m. 1 K 5:27 usually coll. body of forced labourers, task-workers, labour-band or gang, also (late) forced service, task-work, serfdom (𝔗 מִסָּא, especially in phr. מַסְּקֵי מִיסִּין (implying late and [for BH] false sense ‘tribute,’ so NH מַעֲלֵי מִסִּים; √ unknown, prob. loan-wd.; follows anal. of ע׳׳ע);—abs. מ׳ 1 K 5:27 +; לָמַ֑ס Jos 17:13 +, הַמַּ֑ס 2 S 20:24 +; pl. מִסִּים Ex 1:11;— labour-band, labour-gang, body of task-workers for public service, formed by levy upon the people by Sol. וַיַּ֫עַל הַמֶּלֶךְ שׁלֹמֹה מַס מִכָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל 1 K 5:27, amounting to 30,000 men v 27; הַמּ׳ אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלָה 9:15; וַיַּעֲלֵם שׁ׳ לְמַס עֹבֵד v 21 and Sol. levied them for a toiling labour-band (cf. Gn 49:15 Jos 16:10)=וַיַּעֲלֵם שׁ׳ לְמַס 2 Ch 8:8; appar. instituted, earlier, by David, cf. וַאֲדֹרָם עַל־הַמַּ֑ס 2 S 20:24, i.e. had charge of the body of labourers, so 1 K 4:6; 5:28; 12:18=2 Ch 10:18. of labour-bands, slave-gangs of Isr. in Egypt, only שָׁרֵי מִסִּים Ex 1:11 (J) gang-overseers. of conquered populations, subject to forced labour: יִהְיוּ לְךָ לָמַס וַעֲבָדוּךָ Dt 20:11 cf. Ju 1:30, 33, 35 (v. GFM), Is 31:8 La 1:1; so ויהי לְמַס עֹבֵד Jos 16:10 (cf. Gn 49:15 1 K 9:21); וַיִּתְּנוּ אֶת־הַכְּנַעֲנִי לָמַ֑ס Jos 17:13, cf. (וַיָּ֫שֶׁם וגו׳) Ju 1:28. in gen.: וַיְהִי לְמַס־עֹבֵד Gn 49:15 and he (Issachar) became a slaving labour-band (poem in J; cf. Jos 16:10 1 K 9:21); cf. רְמִיָּה תִּהְיֶה לָמַ֑ס Pr 12:24 (here appar. of individ.) forced service, serfdom (or poss. (in late passage) tribute=enforced payment, cf. NH, 𝔗, v. supr.), only of Ahasuerus: וַיָּשֶׂם הַמֶּלָךְ מַס עַל־הָאָרֶץ וגו׳ Est 10:1.