Lexical Definition

‎מַס‎ maç (mas) taskworker ^H:N-M
or מִס miç (mees); from ‎מָסַס‎

discomfited, levy, task(-master), tribute(-tary).

• properly, a burden (as causing to faint), i.e. a tax in the form of forced labor

1) gang or body of forced labourers, task-workers, labour band or gang, forced service, task-work, serfdom, tributary, tribute, levy, taskmasters, discomfited
1a) labour-band, labour-gang, slave gang
1b) gang-overseers
1c) forced service, serfdom, tribute, enforced payment

See Greek: ἔργον · ἥττημα · τέλος · ὑπήκοος · φόρος

Brown-Driver-Briggs

I. ‎מַס‎ noun masculine^{1Kgs 5:27*} usually collective body of forced labourers, task-workers, labour-band or gang, also (late) forced service, task-work, serfdom ( ᵑ7 ‎מִסָּא‎, especially in phrase ‎מַסְּקֵי מִיסִּין‎ (implying late and [for Biblical Hebrew] false sense 'tribute,' so Late Hebrew ‎מַעֲלֵי מָסִּים‎; √ unknown, probably loan-word; follows analogue of ‎ע‎‎׳‎‎׳‎‎ע‎); — absolute ‎׳‎‎מ‎ 1Kgs 5:27* +; ‎לָמַ֑ס‎ Josh 17:13 +; ‎הַמַּ֑ס‎ 2Sam 20:24 +; plural ‎מִסִּים‎ Exod 1:11 —

1. labour-band, labour-gang, body of task-workers for public service, formed by levy upon the people by Solomon ‎וַיַּ֫עַל הַמֶּלֶךְ‎ ‎שׁלֹמֹה מַס מִכָּליִֿשְׂרָאֵל‎ 1Kgs 5:27*, amounting to 30,000 men v.1Kgs 5:27* ‎אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלָה‎ ‎׳‎‎הַמּ‎ 1Kgs 9:15 ‎׳‎‎וַיַּעֲלֵם שׁ‎ ‎לְמַס עֹבֵד‎ v1Kgs 9:21 and Solomon levied them for a toiling labour-band (compare Gen 49:15; Josh 16:10) = ‎׳‎‎לְמַס וַיַּעֲלֵם שׁ‎ 2Chr 8:8 apparently instituted, earlier, by David, compare ‎וַאֲדֹרָם עַלהַֿמַּ֑ס‎ 2Sam 20:24, i.e. had charge of the body of labourers, so 1Kgs 4:6; 1Kgs 5:28*; 1Kgs 12:18 = 2Chr 10:18.

2. a. of labour-bands, slave-gangs of Israel in Egypt, only ‎שָׂרֵי מִסִּים‎ Exod 1:11 (J) gang-overseers.
b. of conquered populations, subject to forced labour: ‎יִהְיוּ לְךָ לָמַס וַעֲבָדוּךָ‎ Deut 20:11 compare Judg 1:30; Judg 1:33; Judg 1:35 (see GFM), Isa 31:8; Lam 1:1 so ‎ויהי לְמַס‎ ‎עֹבֵד‎ Josh 16:10 (compare Gen 49:15; 1Kgs 9:21); ‎וַיִתְּנוּ אֶתהַֿכְּנַעֲנִי‎ ‎לָמַ֑ס‎ Josh 17:13, compare (‎׳‎‎וַיָּ֫שֶׂם וגו‎) Judg 1:28.

3. in general: ‎וַיְהִי לְמַסעֹֿבֵד‎ Gen 49:15 and he (Issachar) became a slaving labour-band (poem in J; compare Josh 16:10; 1Kgs 9:21); compare ‎רְמִיָּה תִּהְיֶה לָמַ֑ס‎ Prov 12:24 (here apparently of individual)

4. forced service, serfdom (or possibly (in late passage) tribute = enforced payment, compare Late Hebrew, ᵑ7, see above), only of Ahasuerus: ‎׳‎‎וַיָּשֶׂם הַמֶּלֶךְ מַס עַלהָֿאָרֶץ וגו‎ Esth 10:1.

II. ‎מַס‎ see ‎מסס‎. ‎מֵסַב‎, ‎מֵסֵב‎ see ‎סבב‎. ‎מַסְגֵּר‎, ‎מִסְגֶּ֫רֶת‎ see ‎סגר‎. ‎מַסַּד‎ see ‎יסד‎. [‎מִסְדְּרוֺן‎] see ‎סדר‎

Brown-Driver-Briggs References