4371. mekes

Lexicon

mekes: Tax, tribute, levy

Original Word: מֶכֶס
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: mekec
Pronunciation: meh'-kes
Phonetic Spelling: (meh'-kes)
Definition: Tax, tribute, levy
Meaning: an assessment

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

tribute

Probably from an unused root meaning to enumerate; an assessment (as based upon a census) -- tribute.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from kasas
Definition
computation, proportion to be paid, tax
NASB Translation
levy (5), tax (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

מֶ֫כֶס noun masculine computation, proportion to be paid, tax (Palmyrene מכסא Reckend^{ZMG 1885, 379 ff.}; Late Hebrew מֶכֶס, Aramaic מִכְסָא, tax (hence Arabic as loan-word Frä²⁸³); Assyrian miksu, Dl^{HWB 407} (√ מכס); Late Hebrew מוֺכֵס tax-collector; so Assyrian makkasu, compare Arabic ) — Numbers 31:28 ׳לי ׳זַהֲרֵמֹתָ֫ מ and thou shalt separate a tax (duty levied on the spoil) for ׳י, Numbers 31:37; Numbers 31:38; Numbers 31:39; Numbers 31:40; Numbers 31:41 (all P).

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from the root verb כָּסַס (kasas), which means "to assess" or "to estimate."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • The corresponding Greek term in the Strong's Concordance is G5056 (τέλος, telos), which can mean "end," "goal," or "tax." In the New Testament, τέλος is used in contexts that involve the payment of taxes or duties, similar to the Hebrew מֶכֶס. This connection highlights the continuity of taxation practices from the Hebrew Bible into the Greco-Roman world of the New Testament.

Usage: The term מֶכֶס is used in the context of taxation or tribute, often referring to the collection of duties or tolls. It appears in the Hebrew Bible in contexts where a levy or tax is imposed on goods or people.

Context: • מֶכֶס (mekes) is a noun masculine used in the Hebrew Bible to denote a form of tax or tribute. It is associated with the practice of levying duties on goods, often at points of entry or trade routes. This term is indicative of the economic practices in ancient Israel and surrounding regions, where taxation was a common means of generating revenue for the state or ruling authorities.
• In the biblical context, מֶכֶס is mentioned in passages that describe the imposition of taxes by foreign powers or local authorities. It reflects the socio-political dynamics of the time, where taxation was a tool for control and resource management.
• The concept of מֶכֶס is closely related to the administration of justice and governance, as it involves the regulation of commerce and the collection of resources necessary for the functioning of the state.
• The term is found in the context of historical narratives and legal texts, providing insight into the economic and administrative structures of ancient societies.

Forms and Transliterations

הַמֶּ֥כֶס המכס וּמִכְסָ֥ם וּמִכְסָם֙ ומכסם מֶ֙כֶס֙ מֶ֜כֶס מכס ham·me·ḵes hamMeches hammeḵes me·ḵes Meches meḵes ū·miḵ·sām umichSam ūmiḵsām

Englishman's Concordance

Numbers 31:28
HEB: וַהֲרֵמֹתָ֨ מֶ֜כֶס לַֽיהוָ֗ה מֵאֵ֞ת
NAS: Levy a tax for the LORD from the men
KJV: And levy a tribute unto the LORD
INT: Levy A tax the LORD the men

Numbers 31:37
HEB: וַיְהִ֛י הַמֶּ֥כֶס לַֽיהוָ֖ה מִן־
NAS: and the LORD'S levy of the sheep
KJV: And the LORD'S tribute of the sheep
INT: become tribute and the LORD'S at

Numbers 31:38
HEB: וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֖ים אָ֑לֶף וּמִכְסָ֥ם לַיהוָ֖ה שְׁנַ֥יִם
NAS: from which the LORD'S levy was 72;
KJV: of which the LORD'S tribute [was] threescore and twelve.
INT: thirty thousand tribute the LORD'S both

Numbers 31:39
HEB: וַחֲמֵ֣שׁ מֵא֑וֹת וּמִכְסָ֥ם לַֽיהוָ֖ה אֶחָ֥ד
NAS: from which the LORD'S levy was 61;
KJV: of which the LORD'S tribute [was] threescore
INT: and five hundred tribute the LORD'S and one

Numbers 31:40
HEB: עָשָׂ֖ר אָ֑לֶף וּמִכְסָם֙ לַֽיהוָ֔ה שְׁנַ֥יִם
NAS: from whom the LORD'S levy was 32
KJV: of which the LORD'S tribute [was] thirty
INT: teen thousand tribute the LORD'S and two

Numbers 31:41
HEB: מֹשֶׁ֗ה אֶת־ מֶ֙כֶס֙ תְּרוּמַ֣ת יְהוָ֔ה
NAS: gave the levy [which was] the LORD'S
KJV: gave the tribute, [which was] the LORD'S
INT: gave Moses the levy offering the LORD'S

6 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 4371
6 Occurrences

ham·me·ḵes — 1 Occ.
me·ḵes — 2 Occ.
ū·miḵ·sām — 3 Occ.