Lexical Summary megammah: Desire, longing, purpose Original Word: מְגַמָּה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance sup up From the same as gam; properly, accumulation, i.e. Impulse or direction -- sup up. see HEBREW gam NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom the same as gam Definition perhaps assembling NASB Translation horde (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [מְגַמָּה] noun feminine Habakkuk 1:9 (of the Chaldaeans) מְגַמַּת מְּנֵיהֶם קָדִ֑ימָה, of uncertain meaning: Ges the assembling of their faces is (directed) forwards; Ew De Ke eagerness, comparing (questionably) גָּמָא swallow Job 39:4, and  (Frey) seek (whence St proposes מְגֻמַת). Text probably erroneous. גמץ (√ of following, Aramaic גְּמַץ dig (perhaps denominative)). Topical Lexicon מְגַמָּה (Strong’s 4041)Concept and Nuance The word paints the picture of a settled drive or inner compulsion, an aim that pushes forward until the goal is achieved. In Habakkuk 1:9 it is the ruthless intention that animates the Chaldean forces. English versions render the idea with expressions such as “bent on violence,” “intent on violence,” or “come for violence,” making clear that the term highlights motive more than mere action. It speaks of a purposeful, unrelenting urge; what the Chaldeans do externally is the inevitable outworking of what they are internally. Single Biblical Occurrence Habakkuk 1:9—“All of them come bent on violence; their hordes advance like a scorching wind; they gather prisoners like sand.” Placed early in the oracle, the word amplifies the prophet’s dread: Judah is not merely facing an army but an army propelled by an irresistible appetite for destruction. Prophetic Setting Habakkuk prophesied shortly before Babylon’s final assaults on Judah (late seventh to early sixth century BC). Judah had slipped into moral disarray; the prophet’s initial complaint is that “violence is before me” (Habakkuk 1:3). God’s startling answer is that He is raising up an even more violent nation as corrective discipline (Habakkuk 1:6). מְגַמָּה captures that grim irony: the Lord uses an aggressor whose very purpose is violence to judge His own people for their violence. The term thus functions as a hinge in the dialogue, moving the focus from domestic injustice to international judgment. Historical Significance 1. Babylon’s military campaigns (612–586 BC) were renowned for swiftness and ferocity. Contemporary records and later classical writers confirm their policy of terror, deportation, and public humiliation—perfectly summarized by מְגַמָּה. Theological Themes • Divine sovereignty and moral government—God can harness even a godless empire’s violent purpose without endorsing its wickedness (Habakkuk 1:12; 2:8). Links with the Wider Canon • Genesis 6:13—“The earth is filled with violence because of them.” The pre-Flood world and Babylon share the same inner drive. Ministry Implications 1. Diagnostics of the heart: Pastors and disciplers may use the term to underscore that God addresses not only deeds but intentions (Hebrews 4:12). Homiletic/Teaching Outline 1. The Prophet’s Shock: Judah’s sin answered by a greater violence. Summary מְגַמָּה is a small word with vast reach. It encapsulates the motor of violent empires, exposes the secret counsels of the heart, and magnifies the righteous governance of God, who alone can overrule destructive intentions for redemptive ends. Forms and Transliterations מְגַמַּ֥ת מגמת mə·ḡam·maṯ megamMat məḡammaṯLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Habakkuk 1:9 HEB: לְחָמָ֣ס יָב֔וֹא מְגַמַּ֥ת פְּנֵיהֶ֖ם קָדִ֑ימָה NAS: for violence. Their horde of faces KJV: their faces shall sup up [as] the east wind, INT: violence come their horde of faces forward 1 Occurrence |
    |