מֹ֫שֶׁל

# Moshel (משל): Dominion in Biblical Hebrew The Hebrew word *moshel* denotes **dominion**—the state or exercise of authority and rule. With only two occurrences in the biblical text, this term represents a relatively rare designation for power and control, distinguishing it from more frequently used alternatives in biblical vocabulary. Given its limited attestation, *moshel* appears in specific contexts where the concept of dominion required particular emphasis or nuance. The scarcity of the word suggests it was reserved for particular theological or narrative moments rather than serving as the standard biblical vocabulary for rulership or governance. This rarity itself indicates that biblical authors had more common terms at their disposal when discussing authority and control, making the two instances of *moshel* noteworthy for textual analysis. Without additional context from specific verse citations, the precise nuances of how *moshel* functions in those two occurrences—whether describing divine authority, human kingship, or abstract dominion—cannot be determined from the lexical data alone. What can be concluded is that this word carries the fundamental semantic content of dominion as a concept of power and rule in ancient Hebrew theological and political discourse.