4577. meah or mea

Lexicon

meah or mea: Belly, inward parts, bowels

Original Word: מְעָה
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: m`ah
Pronunciation: meh-AH
Phonetic Spelling: (meh-aw')
Definition: Belly, inward parts, bowels
Meaning: the bowels

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

belly

(Aramaic) or m(ae (Aramaic) {meh-aw'}; corresponding to me'ah; only in plural the bowels -- belly.

see HEBREW me'ah

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
(Aramaic) corresponding to meeh
Definition
belly
NASB Translation
belly (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

[מְעָא] noun [masculine] plural external belly (see Biblical Hebrew [ מֵעֶה] 6); — suffix מְע֫וֺהִי Daniel 2:32 (of image in vision).

מַעֲבַד see עבד. מְע֫וֺהִר see [מְעָא]. above,

מֵעָל see עלל.

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from a root corresponding to the Hebrew מֵעֶה (me'eh), which also means "bowels" or "inward parts."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • While there is no direct Greek equivalent for the Aramaic מְעָה, similar concepts can be found in Greek terms such as σπλάγχνα (splagchna), which also refers to the inward parts or bowels and is used metaphorically to denote compassion or deep emotions. This Greek term is often used in the New Testament to express similar ideas of inner emotional life.

Usage: This Aramaic term appears in the context of the Old Testament, specifically in the book of Daniel, where it is used to describe the physical and metaphorical inner parts of a person.

Context: • The term מְעָה is used in the Aramaic portions of the Old Testament, particularly in the book of Daniel. It is employed to describe the physical bowels or intestines, which in ancient Near Eastern thought were considered the seat of emotions and deep feelings. This reflects a common biblical motif where physical organs are used metaphorically to express emotional states or moral character.
• In Daniel 2:30, the term is used in a context that highlights the inner workings of a person, both physically and emotionally. The Berean Standard Bible translates this passage as: "But as for me, this mystery has not been revealed to me because I have greater wisdom than anyone else alive, but so that Your Majesty may know the interpretation and that you may understand the thoughts of your mind."
• The use of מְעָה in this context underscores the connection between the physical and emotional aspects of human experience, a theme prevalent in biblical literature.

Forms and Transliterations

מְע֥וֹהִי מעוהי mə‘ōwhî mə·‘ō·w·hî meohi

Englishman's Concordance

Daniel 2:32
HEB: דִּ֣י כְסַ֑ף מְע֥וֹהִי וְיַרְכָתֵ֖הּ דִּ֥י
NAS: of silver, its belly and its thighs
KJV: of silver, his belly and his thighs
INT: forasmuch of silver belly thighs forasmuch

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 4577
1 Occurrence

mə·‘ō·w·hî — 1 Occ.