מַסָּע

# The Hebrew Word מַסָּע (Mas.sa) The Hebrew word *mas.sa* denotes a **quarry**—a place where stone or other materials are extracted from the earth. Based on the lexical data provided, this term appears only once in the biblical text, making it a relatively rare word in Hebrew scripture. The single occurrence of *mas.sa* limits our ability to observe variations in its usage or metaphorical applications. With only one attestation, we cannot determine whether the word was commonly used in everyday Hebrew or represented specialized terminology. The definition itself is straightforward and literal, referring to the practical site of stone extraction rather than carrying theological or symbolic weight. The scarcity of this term in the biblical record suggests that while quarrying was evidently a known activity in ancient Israel and Judah, biblical authors did not frequently reference it by this particular word. This may indicate that stone extraction, though practically important for construction projects, held limited narrative or theological significance in the texts that were ultimately preserved in scripture.