Lexical Summary matstsah: unleavened bread, unleavened, unleavened cakes Original Word: מַצָּה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance unleaved bread, cake, without leaven From matsats in the sense of greedily devouring for sweetness; properly, sweetness; concretely, sweet (i.e. Not soured or bittered with yeast); specifically, an unfermented cake or loaf, or (elliptically) the festival of Passover (because no leaven was then used) -- unleaved (bread, cake), without leaven. see HEBREW matsats NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom matsats Definition unleavened bread or cake NASB Translation unleavened (15), Unleavened Bread (10), unleavened bread (25), unleavened cakes (3). Brown-Driver-Briggs I. מַצָּה noun feminine unleavened bread, or cake(s); — absolute ׳מ Leviticus 2:5; Leviticus 8:26 (אַחַת ׳חַלַּת מ), Numbers 6:19 (id.), Numbers 6:19; usually plural מַצּוֺת Exodus 12:15 44t.; מַצֹּת Exodus 12:18 3t; — unleavened bread, prepared in form of לֶחֶם Exodus 29:2; חַלָּה Exodus 29:2 4t. P; רקיקים Exodus 29:2; 1 Chronicles 23:29 4t. P; עגּה Exodus 12:39; used at ordinary meals (prepared hastily): ׳אפה מ Genesis 19:3 (J), Exodus 12:39 (J), 1 Samuel 28:24; probably also Judges 6:19,20,21 (twice in verse); elsewhere at sacrificial meals, e.g. ritual peace-offerings Leviticus 2:4 (twice in verse); Leviticus 2:5; Leviticus 6:9; Leviticus 7:12 (twice in verse); Leviticus 10:12; consecration of priesthood Exodus 29:2 (3 t. in verse); Exodus 29:23; Leviticus 8:2,26,26; at peace-offering of Nazirite Numbers 6:15 (twice in verse); Numbers 6:17,19 (twice in verse); at Passover Exodus 12:8; Numbers 9:11 (all P); especially at feast of unleavened bread [cakes] for 7 days after Passover ׳שׁמר חג המ Exodus 23:15 (E), Exodus 34:18 (J); ׳שׁסר מ Exodus 12:17 (P), עשׂה ׳חג (ה)מ2Chronicles 30:13,21; 35:17; Ezra 6:22; ׳בחג המ Deuteronomy 16:16; 2Chronicles 8:13; ׳לי ׳חג המ Leviticus 23:6. During these seven days all Israel ate מצות Exodus 12:15,18,20 (P), Exodus 23:15 (E), Exodus 13:6,7; Exodus 34:18 (J), Leviticus 23:6; Numbers 28:17 (P), Deuteronomy 16:3,8; Joshua 5:11; Ezekiel 45:21. — 2 Kings 23:9 read probably מִצְוֺת or מִנָיוֺת for ᵑ0 ׳מ (אכל); so Gei Kue Kmp Bu. [מָצֻק] see מָצוּק below II. צוק [מְצֻקָה] see מצוּקָה below I. צוק [מֻצֶ֫קֶת] see ׳מוּצ below יצק. מֵצַר see I. צרר. מצר (√ of following) Topical Lexicon Overview of מַצָּה (matzah) Unleavened bread—prepared quickly without fermenting agents—forms a distinctive food throughout the Old Testament narrative and cultus. Its flat, hastily-made character memorializes Israel’s redemption from Egypt, serves as a continuing sign of covenant purity, and foreshadows messianic fulfillment. Approximately fifty-three occurrences cluster in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, and the historical books, with scattered references in Judges, Isaiah, and Ezekiel. Redemptive-Historical Origin 1. Passover Night. Exodus 12 introduces matzah in direct connection with the first Passover: “They are to eat the meat that night, roasted over the fire, along with unleavened bread and bitter herbs” (Exodus 12:8). The haste of departure left no time for dough to rise (Exodus 12:39). Cultic and Sacrificial Use 1. Priestly Consecration. The ordination ritual demanded an unleavened grain offering (Exodus 29:2, 23; Leviticus 8:2, 26, 31). Matzah signified holiness as Aaron and his sons began mediatory service. Civil and Personal Usage Beyond formal worship, matzah appeared in domestic settings: These scenes preserve the association of purity and hospitality even outside the sanctuary. Symbolism and Typology 1. Separation from Sin. Scripture treats leaven as a permeating agent that pictures corruption (Exodus 12:15; Leviticus 2:11). Removing leaven dramatizes a call to moral cleansing. Prophetical and Eschatological Echoes Isaiah 30:22 and Ezekiel 45:21 preserve future-looking language: “On the fourteenth day of the first month, you are to celebrate the Passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten” (Ezekiel 45:21). The prophets envision a renewed worship in which matzah continues to mark covenant fidelity, anticipating the consummation when all defilement is removed. Ministry Implications Today Select Key References Exodus 12:8; 12:15; 12:39; 13:7 Exodus 23:15; 34:18 Leviticus 2:4-5, 11; 6:16-17; 7:12; 8:2; 23:6 Numbers 6:15-19; 9:11; 28:17 2 Chronicles 30:21-22; 35:17 Forms and Transliterations הַמַּצּ֑וֹת הַמַּצּ֔וֹת הַמַּצּ֖וֹת הַמַּצּ֛וֹת הַמַּצּ֜וֹת הַמַּצּֽוֹת׃ הַמַּצּוֹת֒ הַמַּצּוֹת֙ הַמַּצּוֹת֮ המצות המצות׃ וּבַמַּצּ֑וֹת וּמַצּ֔וֹת וּמַצּ֥וֹת ובמצות ומצות מַצָּ֖ה מַצָּ֤ה מַצָּ֥ה מַצֹּ֑ת מַצֹּת֙ מַצּ֑וֹת מַצּ֔וֹת מַצּ֖וֹת מַצּ֗וֹת מַצּ֛וֹת מַצּ֜וֹת מַצּ֣וֹת מַצּ֤וֹת מַצּ֥וֹת מַצּֽוֹת׃ מַצּוֹת֙ מצה מצות מצות׃ מצת ham·maṣ·ṣō·wṯ hammaṣṣōwṯ hammatztzOt maṣ·ṣāh maṣ·ṣō·wṯ maṣ·ṣōṯ maṣṣāh maṣṣōṯ maṣṣōwṯ matzTzah matzTzot ū·ḇam·maṣ·ṣō·wṯ ū·maṣ·ṣō·wṯ ūḇammaṣṣōwṯ ūmaṣṣōwṯ umatzTzot uvammatzTzotLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 19:3 HEB: לָהֶם֙ מִשְׁתֶּ֔ה וּמַצּ֥וֹת אָפָ֖ה וַיֹּאכֵֽלוּ׃ NAS: for them, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. KJV: and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat. INT: prepared A feast unleavened and baked ate Exodus 12:8 Exodus 12:15 Exodus 12:17 Exodus 12:18 Exodus 12:20 Exodus 12:39 Exodus 13:6 Exodus 13:7 Exodus 23:15 Exodus 23:15 Exodus 29:2 Exodus 29:2 Exodus 29:2 Exodus 29:23 Exodus 34:18 Exodus 34:18 Leviticus 2:4 Leviticus 2:4 Leviticus 2:5 Leviticus 6:16 Leviticus 7:12 Leviticus 7:12 Leviticus 8:2 Leviticus 8:26 53 Occurrences |
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