Lexical Summary maak: To press, squeeze, crush Original Word: מָעַךְ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance bruised, stuck, be pressed A primitive root; to press, i.e. To pierce, emasculate, handle -- bruised, stuck, be pressed. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to press, squeeze NASB Translation bruised (1), pressed (1), stuck (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [מָעַךְ] verb press, squeeze (Late Hebrew id.; ᵑ7 מְעַךְ; Arabic  rub); — Qal Passive participle וּמָעוּךְ וְכָתוּת וְנָתוּק וְכָרוּת Leviticus 22:24 (H), not to be offered to ׳י, reference to emasculation (compare Di); וַחֲנִיתוֺ מְעוּכָהבָֿאָרֶץ 1 Samuel 26:7 and his spear pressed (thrust) into the ground. Pu`al Perfect3masculine plural שָׁמָּה מֹעֲכוּ שְׁדֵיהֶן Ezekiel 23:3 there were their breasts squeezed ("" עִשּׂוּ; unchastely; figurative of intercourse of Samaria and Jerusalem with Egypt, involving idolatry). Topical Lexicon Overviewמָעַךְ (Strong 4600) is a verb that pictures forceful pressure—whether of flesh, objects, or even time itself. Its four appearances form a unified testimony: what the human hand crushes, God weighs; what sin disfigures, holiness disallows; and what seems irrevocably pressed beyond recovery remains subject to the Lord who can reverse shadows and restore integrity. Occurrences and Context 1. Leviticus 22:24 – stipulation for unblemished sacrifices. Cultic Purity and Wholeness (Leviticus 22:24) “You are not to present to the LORD an animal with bruised, crushed, torn, or cut testicles; you must not sacrifice them in your land.” The verb emphasizes how even concealed injuries violate the wholeness God requires. Worship can never substitute external ritual for inward integrity; the slightest mutilation disqualifies the offering. The text quietly safeguards both animal welfare and theological precision: a maimed gift cannot point to the flawless Lamb to come (John 1:29; 1 Peter 1:19). Military Reality and the Weight of a King’s Spear (1 Samuel 26:7) “So David and Abishai went to the army by night, and there lay Saul…with his spear stuck in the ground by his head.” Here מָעַךְ conveys the spear forcefully driven into the earth—a vivid symbol of Saul’s tenuous grip on power. The object meant to secure his safety becomes the very evidence of his vulnerability. David’s mercy in refusing to “crush” the anointed king aligns with the broader biblical ethic that rejects taking vengeance into one’s own hands (Romans 12:19). Sovereignty over Time and Nature (2 Kings 20:11) “So Isaiah the prophet called out to the LORD, and He brought the shadow back the ten steps it had descended on the stairway of Ahaz.” A shadow does not merely fall; it is “pressed” down the steps by the sun’s relentless movement. By reversing that descent, the Lord demonstrates mastery over every force that seems irreversible—time, decay, even death. The miracle foreshadows resurrection power (Luke 24:5-6) and encourages faith when circumstances appear permanently set. Exploitation as Spiritual Crushing (Ezekiel 23:3) “They prostituted themselves in Egypt, engaging in prostitution from their youth; there their breasts were fondled and their virgin bosoms were pressed.” The prophet depicts political alliances as sexual violence. What Egypt physically “pressed,” idolatry spiritually crushed. The verb exposes the cost of covenant infidelity: intimacy intended for covenant blessing becomes a scene of degradation. Yet even here God’s restorative agenda is implied; the same Lord who condemns the crushing can bind up the broken (Isaiah 61:1). Interlocking Themes • Wholeness versus mutilation – Acceptable worship demands undamaged offerings, prefiguring the perfect sacrifice of Christ. Christological Trajectory The Servant is “crushed for our iniquities” (Isaiah 53:5), willingly bearing the ultimate מָעַךְ so that worshippers may present themselves “without spot or wrinkle” (Ephesians 5:27). In the crucifixion, the verb’s literal force meets its redemptive fulfillment: what men bruise, God uses to heal. Pastoral and Ministry Applications 1. Integrity in service – Hidden compromise disqualifies; spiritual leaders must guard against blemishes that the casual observer cannot see. From sacrificial legislation to eschatological hope, מָעַךְ reminds believers that the hand of God will ultimately undo every destructive pressure and present His people whole in His presence. Forms and Transliterations בַּֽ֠מַּעֲלוֹת במעלות וּמָע֤וּךְ ומעוך מְעוּכָֽה־ מֹעֲכ֣וּ מעוכה־ מעכו bam·ma·‘ă·lō·wṯ bamma‘ălōwṯ Bammaalot mə‘ūḵāh- mə·‘ū·ḵāh- meuchah mō‘ăḵū mō·‘ă·ḵū moaChu ū·mā·‘ūḵ ūmā‘ūḵ umaUchLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Leviticus 22:24 HEB: וּמָע֤וּךְ וְכָתוּת֙ וְנָת֣וּק NAS: Also anything [with its testicles] bruised or crushed KJV: unto the LORD that which is bruised, or crushed, INT: bruised crushed torn 1 Samuel 26:7 2 Kings 20:11 Ezekiel 23:3 4 Occurrences |
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