Lexical Summary mowcadah: Foundation, base, support Original Word: מוֹסָדָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance foundation Or mocadah {mo-saw-daw'}; feminine of mowcad; a foundation -- foundation. see HEBREW mowcad Topical Lexicon Semantic Field and Symbolism מֹוסָדָה consistently pictures the stable base upon which something greater rests—whether the mountains, the heavens, the earth, or man-made structures. As such it serves as an emblem of both created order and covenant security. Occurrences and Literary Settings • Deuteronomy 32:22 places the “foundations of the mountains” within the Song of Moses, portraying God’s fiery wrath reaching to the very bedrock of creation. Creation and Providential Order By locating מֹוסָדָה beneath earth, mountain, and heaven, Scripture testifies that the visible cosmos rests on a God-given base. This aligns with Genesis 1, where creation is structured, not chaotic. The word therefore encourages confidence that reality is neither random nor self-existent; it is established by the Lord who “laid the foundation of the earth” (cf. Job 38:4). Divine Judgment: Shaken Foundations When sin escalates, the very structures that normally signify stability are portrayed as trembling or burning. This imagery intensifies prophetic warnings: no realm—terrestrial, celestial, political—remains untouched when the Holy One judges. Such texts anticipate New Testament assertions that God will yet “remove what can be shaken” so that the unshakable may remain (Hebrews 12:27). Covenant Faithfulness and Restoration Conversely, Isaiah 58:12 re-imagines מֹוסָדָה as the solid base upon which renewed communities arise. Post-exilic builders could take courage: God not only tears down corrupt systems but also roots future blessing in steadfast foundations. The word thereby functions pastorally, calling leaders to build ministries that outlast their own generation. Eschatological Assurance Jeremiah 31:37 weds the term to God’s everlasting commitment to Israel. The impossibility of probing earth’s foundations parallels the impossibility of God forsaking His covenant. This anticipates Paul’s declaration that “the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (Romans 11:29). Christological Fulfillment Although מֹוסָדָה itself does not appear in the New Testament, its theology prepares for Christ as both Cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20) and immovable Rock (Matthew 7:24-25). The same God who shakes ancient foundations provides an unshakable one in His Son, on whom the church is built. Ministry Implications 1. Preaching: Use the trembling of foundations to illustrate the seriousness of sin and the certainty of judgment. Devotional Reflection When cultural or personal circumstances feel unstable, meditate on Isaiah 40:21—“Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?” The God who undergirds creation also undergirds His people. The believer’s security rests not on shifting sands but on the eternal foundation laid by the Sovereign Lord. Forms and Transliterations וּמוֹסְדֵ֣י ומוסדי לְמֽוֹסָד֑וֹת למוסדות מ֥וֹסְדֵי מֹ֣סְדֵי מֹסְד֣וֹת מֽוֹסְדֵי־ מוֹסְד֖וֹת מוֹסְד֥וֹת מוֹסְד֪וֹת מוֹסְדֵ֥י מוסדות מוסדי מוסדי־ מסדות מסדי lə·mō·w·sā·ḏō·wṯ lemosaDot ləmōwsāḏōwṯ mō·sə·ḏê mō·sə·ḏō·wṯ mō·ws·ḏê mō·ws·ḏê- mō·ws·ḏō·wṯ mosDei mosDot mōsəḏê Mosedei moseDot mōsəḏōwṯ mōwsḏê mōwsḏê- mōwsḏōwṯ ū·mō·ws·ḏê umosDei ūmōwsḏêLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Deuteronomy 32:22 HEB: וִֽיבֻלָ֔הּ וַתְּלַהֵ֖ט מוֹסְדֵ֥י הָרִֽים׃ INT: yield and sets foundation of the mountains 2 Samuel 22:8 2 Samuel 22:16 Psalm 18:7 Psalm 18:15 Isaiah 24:18 Isaiah 40:21 Isaiah 58:12 Jeremiah 31:37 Jeremiah 51:26 Micah 6:2 11 Occurrences |