Lexical Summary maah: To reject, refuse, despise Original Word: מֵעָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance gravel Feminine of me'ah; the belly, i.e. (figuratively) interior -- gravel. see HEBREW me'ah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom the same as meeh Definition a grain (of sand) NASB Translation grains (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [מָעָה] noun feminine grain (of sand), si vera lectio (Late Hebrew מָעָה, seed (of melon, etc.), coin, Aramaic  , מָעָא coin); — only feminine plural suffix: וַיְהִי כַחוֺל זֵרְעֶ֔ךָ וְצֶאֱצָאֵי מֵעֶיךָ כִּמְעֹתָיוּ Isaiah 48:19 and thy seed had been like the sand, and the offspring of thy bowels like the grains thereof, compare ᵑ9 ᵑ7 De Di Du and others > plural of [מֵעֶה] the entrails of it (i.e. the sea) AE Ges Hi CheComm. — ᵐ5 ὡς ὁ χοῦς τῆς γῆς, whence Gr כְּעפרותיו. מָעוֺג see עוג. מָעוֺז, מָעֹז see עוז (compare עזז). I, II. מָעוֺן, מְע(וֺ)נָה, מְעוֺנֹתַי see עון. Topical Lexicon OverviewThe singular use of the term מֵעָה in Isaiah 48:19 denotes the inner parts of the body, specifically the womb, and functions as a vivid image of generational fruitfulness. Though the vocabulary itself is rare, the concept it conveys—the womb as the place from which covenant descendants emerge—runs like a thread through the whole canon, intertwining themes of promise, identity, and continuity. Isaiah 48:19 in Prophetic Context “Your descendants would have been like the sand, and your offspring like its grains; their name would never be cut off or destroyed from My presence” (Isaiah 48:19). The prophecy confronts Israel’s stubbornness (Isaiah 48:4, 8) while simultaneously echoing the patriarchal promise of innumerable progeny (Genesis 22:17). By employing מֵעָה, Isaiah links Judah’s future to the maternal source of life. The rebuke is severe—Israel’s sin has throttled the full realization of that promise—yet the imagery underscores the Lord’s willingness to pour out blessing had they listened (Isaiah 48:18). The Womb as a Metaphor for Covenant Continuity 1. Divine Initiative: The first mention of a divinely supervised womb appears in Genesis 20:18; God “closed up” Abimelech’s household, proving that fertility rests in His hands. Related Scriptural Themes • Sand Imagery: Genesis 22:17; Hosea 1:10; Romans 9:27 Ministry Implications 1. Value of Life: The sanctity assigned to the womb elevates ministry efforts that protect the unborn and uphold family integrity (Psalm 139:13–16). Theological Reflections The solitary appearance of מֵעָה in Isaiah 48:19 is strategically placed to remind readers that covenant fulfillment travels through the womb yet ultimately depends on divine mercy, not human merit. The New Testament enlarges the motif: Jesus is miraculously conceived (Luke 1:35), and believers are “born again” by the imperishable seed of the Word (1 Peter 1:23). Thus, the prophetic use of מֵעָה anticipates both the continuation of Israel’s line and the greater birth of a worldwide people of God. Forms and Transliterations כִּמְעֹתָ֑יו כמעתיו kim‘ōṯāw kim·‘ō·ṯāw kimoTavLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Isaiah 48:19 HEB: וְצֶאֱצָאֵ֥י מֵעֶ֖יךָ כִּמְעֹתָ֑יו לֹֽא־ יִכָּרֵ֧ת NAS: And your offspring like its grains; Their name KJV: of thy bowels like the gravel thereof; his name INT: and the offspring bowels grains never be cut 1 Occurrence |
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