Lexical Summary
mishneh: Double, second, copy, repetition
Original Word:מִשְׁנֶה
Part of Speech:Noun Masculine
Transliteration:mishneh
Pronunciation:mish-neh'
Phonetic Spelling:(mish-neh')
KJV: college, copy, double, fatlings, next, second (order), twice as much
NASB:second, double, copy, twofold, doubly, fatlings
Word Origin:[fromH8138 (שָׁנָה - second time)]
1. (properly) a repetition, i.e. a duplicate (copy of a document), or a double (in amount)
2. (by implication) a second (in order, rank, age, quality or location)
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
college, copy, double, fatlings, next, second order, twice as much
Fromshanah; properly, a repetition, i.e. A duplicate (copy of a document), or a double (in amount); by implication, a second (in order, rank, age, quality or location) -- college, copy, double, fatlings, next, second (order), twice as much.
see HEBREWshanah
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
shanahDefinitiona double, copy, second
NASB Translationcopy (2), double (6), doubly (1), fatlings (1), next (1), Second (3), second (16), second rank (1), twice (1), twice as much (1), twofold (2).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
; — absolute
Genesis 41:43 +; construct
Jeremiah 16:18 3t., so read also
Deuteronomy 15:18 (van d. H., > - Gi),
Jeremiah 17:18 (Gie Buhl and others); suffix
1 Samuel 8:2 +; plural
1 Chronicles 15:18 (1 Samuel 15:9;
Ezra 1:10 see below); —
(the)double:Genesis 43:12 (J)money of double amount, compareGenesis 43:15 (J),a double amount (in)money (Ges§ 131q);Exodus 16:22 (P);Exodus 16:5 (P)the double above what they gathered daily;Deuteronomy 15:18 (see Dr);Jeremiah 16:18the double of their guilt,Jeremiah 17:18 (see above);a double portionIsaiah 61:7 (twice in verse);Zechariah 9:12;Job 42:10.
copy of lawDeuteronomy 17:18;Joshua 8:32 (D).
second in order
second, rank,Genesis 41:43 (J), 2Chronicles 35:24; of personone second in rank, priest next to high-priest,2 Kings 23:4;2 Kings 25:18 =Jeremiah 52:24;1 Samuel 23:17, 2Chronicles 28:7,Esther 10:3;1 Chronicles 15:18;1 Chronicles 16:5; 2Chronicles 31:12;Nehemiah 11:17. —1 Samuel 15:9 read (compare ) (Nehemiah 8:10) Th, or We Dr Bu, etc. (Ezekiel 34:16);Ezra 1:10 is apparently corruption of a numeral.
second in age,1 Samuel 8:2;1 Samuel 17:13;2 Samuel 3:3;1 Chronicles 5:12.
second quarter, district, of city,2 Kings 22:14 2Chronicles 34:22;Zephaniah 1:10, compareNehemiah 11:9 overthe city, namely, thesecond quarter.
Topical Lexicon
Semantic Range and Core Idea“מִשְׁנֶה” consistently conveys the idea of “the second, the double, or the copy.” Whether it denotes a person who is second in rank, a double portion, a duplicated document, or a secondary district, the word always points to something that repeats or is multiplied.
Distribution in Scripture
Roughly thirty-five passages across the Pentateuch, Historical Books, Wisdom Literature, and Prophets employ the term, creating a woven testimony that spans Israel’s covenant life—from Joseph’s elevation in Egypt to the prophetic warnings of Zephaniah.
Representative Categories of Usage
1.Second in Rank and Authority
•Genesis 41:43 – Pharaoh seats Joseph “in the chariot of his second in command,” signaling delegated authority that still answers to the throne.
•2 Kings 23:4 – Josiah orders “the priests of the second order” to purge the House of the Lord. Here “second” marks tiered priestly responsibility while maintaining continuity of sacred duty.
2.Double Portion of Inheritance or Blessing
•Deuteronomy 21:17 – The firstborn son receives “a double portion of all that he has,” underscoring primogeniture and covenant promise.
•1 Samuel 1:5 – Elkanah gives Hannah “a double portion, for he loved her,” revealing how overflow mirrors the Father’s generous heart.
•Isaiah 61:7 alludes to future comfort: “Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion.” Though the prophet uses poetic escalation, the term remains anchored in legal reality—restoration in precise measure.
3.Double Payment or Compensation
•Deuteronomy 15:18 – When a slave is released, his six years of service are reckoned “twice the wages of a hired worker,” teaching owners to value covenant brothers as God values them.
•Jeremiah 16:18 foretells retributive justice: “I will repay them double for their iniquity and their sin.” Compensation exacts proportional righteousness.
4.Duplicate Copy of Covenant Documents
•Deuteronomy 17:18 – Israel’s king must “write for himself a copy of this Law” and read it all his days, binding ruler and ruled alike to the revealed word.
•Joshua 8:32 – Joshua engraves “a copy of the Law of Moses” on stones at Shechem, reenacting Sinai for the new generation.
•Jeremiah 36:32 – After Jehoiakim burns Jeremiah’s scroll, “Baruch wrote on a scroll the words of the scroll that Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned… and many similar words were added to them.” God’s message cannot be erased; it will be copied and amplified.
5.Second District, Wall, or Quarter of Jerusalem
•2 Kings 22:14;2 Chronicles 34:22 – The prophetess Huldah lives “in Jerusalem, in the Second District,” illustrating urban expansion beyond the original City of David.
•Zephaniah 1:10 – “A loud crash from the hills, a great wailing from the Second District,” making even newly formed neighborhoods accountable to divine judgment.
•Nehemiah 12:38 speaks of “the broad wall” and its “second” segment; the rebuilt city maintains tiered defenses, reflecting meticulous stewardship.
6.Second Layer, Measure, or Folding
•Exodus 26:5–10 repeatedly calls for “a second set” of loops and clasps in the tabernacle curtains, symbolizing symmetry and stability in worship.
•Ezekiel 41:7 describes a temple wall that became wider “with each successive level,” literally “by the second,” portraying ever-increasing access toward the holy.
Key Theological Themes
• Continuity under Delegated Authority – Joseph’s promotion and the graded priesthood show that second-level leaders uphold, not rival, the sovereignty above them.
• Proportional Restitution – Whether blessing or judgment, God doubles what is due, teaching both generosity and accountability.
• Preservation of Revelation – The commanded copy of the Law and Jeremiah’s rewritten scroll highlight the Spirit’s safeguarding of Scripture against human tampering.
• Hope of Restoration – Prophetic promises of a “double portion” assure that covenant loss will meet covenant surplus in God’s timing.
Historical Backdrop
“מִשְׁנֶה” emerges in the social fabric of the Ancient Near East where hierarchies, inheritances, and legal copies were essential for order. Israel’s adoption of the term, however, elevates it beyond administrative utility: the second chariot, the double inheritance, and the duplicate scroll all become vessels of covenant faithfulness. Even Jerusalem’s “Second District”—built during Hezekiah’s expansion—testifies that growth is meaningful only when aligned with divine purpose.
Ministry Implications
• Discipleship mirrors “mishneh.” A mature believer trains a second, duplicating doctrine (2 Timothy 2:2).
• Leadership succession is validated: Moses–Joshua, Elijah–Elisha. Each “second” must hold a faithful copy of the truth.
• Pastoral care should aim for “double honor” (1 Timothy 5:17) toward those who labor in the word—echoing the Old Testament principle of the double portion.
• Preaching must reaffirm that Scripture, though attacked, will always have its “copy” preserved; therefore, confidence in the written word is non-negotiable.
Survey of Principal Passages
Genesis 41:43;Exodus 26:5–10;Deuteronomy 15:18; 17:18; 21:17;Joshua 8:32;1 Samuel 1:5;2 Kings 22:14; 23:4;2 Chronicles 34:22;Nehemiah 12:38;Isaiah 61:7;Jeremiah 16:18; 36:32;Zephaniah 1:10, among others.
Summary
“מִשְׁנֶה” threads a theology of faithful repetition—authority extended, blessing multiplied, law preserved, judgment balanced, and hope enlarged. Through every “second,” God’s first purposes stand unshaken.
Forms and Transliterations
בַּמִּשְׁנֶ֑ה במשנה הַמִּשְׁנִ֑ים הַמִּשְׁנֶ֑ה הַמִּשְׁנֶה֙ הַמִּשְׁנֶה֮ המשנה המשנים וְהַמִּשְׁנִ֤ים וּמִשְׁנֵ֙הוּ֙ וּמִשְׁנֵ֣הוּ וּמִשְׁנֶ֥ה וּמִשְׁנֶה־ והמשנים ומשנה ומשנה־ ומשנהו לְמִשְׁנֶ֑ה לְמִשְׁנֶֽה׃ למשנה למשנה׃ מִשְׁנִ֔ים מִשְׁנֵ֖הוּ מִשְׁנֵ֤ה מִשְׁנֵ֥ה מִשְׁנֵ֨ה מִשְׁנֵה֙ מִשְׁנֶ֑ה מִשְׁנֶ֔ה מִשְׁנֶ֖ה מִשְׁנֶ֣ה מִשְׁנֶֽה׃ מִשְׁנֶה֙ משנה משנה׃ משנהו משנים bam·miš·neh bammishNeh bammišneh ham·miš·neh ham·miš·nîm hammishNeh hammishNim hammišneh hammišnîm lə·miš·neh lemishNeh ləmišneh miš·nê·hū miš·neh miš·nêh miš·nîm mishNeh mishNehu mishNim mišneh mišnêh mišnêhū mišnîm ū·miš·nê·hū ū·miš·neh ū·miš·neh- umishneh umishNehu ūmišneh ūmišneh- ūmišnêhū vehammishNim wə·ham·miš·nîm wəhammišnîm
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