4696. metsach

Strong's Lexicon

metsach: Forehead

Original Word: מֵצַח
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: metsach
Pronunciation: MAY-tsakh
Phonetic Spelling: (may'-tsakh)
Definition: Forehead
Meaning: the forehead

Word Origin: Derived from an unused root meaning to be clear or conspicuous

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: - Strong's Greek 3359 (metopon): Refers to the forehead, used in the New Testament in contexts such as Revelation where marks on the forehead signify allegiance.

Usage: The Hebrew word "metsach" refers to the forehead, a prominent part of the human face. In the Bible, it is often used both literally and metaphorically. Literally, it describes the physical forehead of a person. Metaphorically, it can symbolize boldness, defiance, or the mark of identification, as seen in various scriptural contexts.

Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Near Eastern cultures, the forehead was often associated with identity and character. It was a place where marks or symbols could be placed to signify ownership, allegiance, or status. In biblical times, the forehead could be marked to indicate a person's dedication to God or, conversely, their rebellion against Him.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
of uncertain derivation
Definition
brow, forehead
NASB Translation
forehead (10), foreheads (2), stubborn* (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

מֵ֫צַח noun masculine^{Exodus 3:8} brow, forehead; — ׳מ absolute Ezekiel 3:7, construct Exodus 28:28; Jeremiah 3:3; suffix מִצְחֲךָ Ezekiel 3:8; Isaiah 48:4, מִצְחֶ֑וֺ Ezekiel 3:9; מִצְחוֺ Exodus 28:38 4t.; מִצְחָם Exodus 3:8; plural construct מִצְחוֺת Ezekiel 9:4; — brow, forehead, struck by stone from David's sling 1 Samuel 17:49 (twice in verse); Aaron's forehead Exodus 28:38 (twice in verse); place where leprosy appears 2Chronicles 26:19,20; place for a distinguishing mark or cross Ezekiel 9:4; ׳חִזְקֵימֿ Ezekiel 3:7 the house of Israel are stout of forehead (i.e. obstinate; "" קְשֵׁילֵֿב), compare Ezekiel 3:8; so מִצְהֲךָ נְחוּשָׁה Isaiah 48:4 thy brow (is) brass ("" גִּיד בַּרְזֶל עָרְמֶּ֑ךָ); also of boldness, firmness of prophet Isaiah 48:8, and Isaiah 48:9 (but dele ᵐ5 Co); אִשָּׁה ׳זוֺנָה הָיָה לָךְ מ Jeremiah 3:3, i.e. thou wast shameless ("" מֵאַנְתְּ הִכָּלֵם).

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

brow, forehead, impudent

From an unused root meaning to be clear, i.e. Conspicuous; the forehead (as open and prominent) -- brow, forehead, + impudent.

Forms and Transliterations

בְּמִצְח֔וֹ בְמִצְח֜וֹ במצחו וּמִצְחֲךָ֖ וּמֵ֨צַח ומצח ומצחך מִצְח֑וֹ מִצְח֣וֹת מִצְחֲךָ֥ מִצְחֶ֑ךָ מִצְחָֽם׃ מִצְחוֹ֙ מֵ֣צַח מֵ֥צַח מצח מצחו מצחות מצחך מצחם׃ bə·miṣ·ḥōw ḇə·miṣ·ḥōw bəmiṣḥōw ḇəmiṣḥōw bemitzCho mê·ṣaḥ mêṣaḥ Metzach miṣ·ḥă·ḵā miṣ·ḥām miṣ·ḥe·ḵā miṣ·ḥō·wṯ miṣ·ḥōw miṣḥăḵā miṣḥām miṣḥeḵā miṣḥōw miṣḥōwṯ mitzchaCha mitzCham mitzChecha mitzCho mitzChot ū·mê·ṣaḥ ū·miṣ·ḥă·ḵā ūmêṣaḥ uMetzach ūmiṣḥăḵā umitzchaCha vemitzCho

Englishman's Concordance

Exodus 28:38
HEB: וְהָיָה֮ עַל־ מֵ֣צַח אַהֲרֹן֒ וְנָשָׂ֨א
NAS: It shall be on Aaron's forehead, and Aaron
KJV: And it shall be upon Aaron's forehead, that Aaron
INT: become and forehead Aaron's shall take

Exodus 28:38
HEB: וְהָיָ֤ה עַל־ מִצְחוֹ֙ תָּמִ֔יד לְרָצ֥וֹן
NAS: and it shall always be on his forehead, that they may be accepted
KJV: and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted
INT: become be on his forehead shall always may be accepted

1 Samuel 17:49
HEB: הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֖י אֶל־ מִצְח֑וֹ וַתִּטְבַּ֤ע הָאֶ֙בֶן֙
NAS: the Philistine on his forehead. And the stone
KJV: the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone
INT: the Philistine on his forehead sank and the stone

1 Samuel 17:49
HEB: וַתִּטְבַּ֤ע הָאֶ֙בֶן֙ בְּמִצְח֔וֹ וַיִּפֹּ֥ל עַל־
NAS: sank into his forehead, so that he fell
KJV: sunk into his forehead; and he fell
INT: sank and the stone his forehead fell on

2 Chronicles 26:19
HEB: וְ֠הַצָּרַעַת זָרְחָ֨ה בְמִצְח֜וֹ לִפְנֵ֤י הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙
NAS: broke out on his forehead before
KJV: even rose up in his forehead before
INT: the leprosy broke his forehead before the priests

2 Chronicles 26:20
HEB: ה֤וּא מְצֹרָע֙ בְּמִצְח֔וֹ וַיַּבְהִל֖וּהוּ מִשָּׁ֑ם
NAS: he [was] leprous on his forehead; and they hurried
KJV: upon him, and, behold, he [was] leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out
INT: himself he leprous his forehead hurried of there

Isaiah 48:4
HEB: בַּרְזֶל֙ עָרְפֶּ֔ךָ וּמִצְחֲךָ֖ נְחוּשָֽׁה׃
NAS: sinew And your forehead bronze,
KJV: sinew, and thy brow brass;
INT: is an iron and your neck and your forehead bronze

Jeremiah 3:3
HEB: ל֣וֹא הָיָ֑ה וּמֵ֨צַח אִשָּׁ֤ה זוֹנָה֙
NAS: a harlot's forehead; You refused
KJV: and thou hadst a whore's forehead, thou refusedst
INT: no has been forehead ess commit fornication

Ezekiel 3:7
HEB: יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל חִזְקֵי־ מֵ֥צַח וּקְשֵׁי־ לֵ֖ב
INT: of Israel harder brow churlish care for

Ezekiel 3:8
HEB: פְּנֵיהֶ֑ם וְאֶֽת־ מִצְחֲךָ֥ חָזָ֖ק לְעֻמַּ֥ת
NAS: as their faces and your forehead as hard
KJV: their faces, and thy forehead strong
INT: against as their faces and your forehead hard against

Ezekiel 3:8
HEB: חָזָ֖ק לְעֻמַּ֥ת מִצְחָֽם׃
NAS: as hard as their foreheads.
KJV: strong against their foreheads.
INT: hard against as their foreheads

Ezekiel 3:9
HEB: מִצֹּ֖ר נָתַ֣תִּי מִצְחֶ֑ךָ לֹֽא־ תִירָ֤א
NAS: I have made your forehead. Do not be afraid
KJV: have I made thy forehead: fear
INT: flint have made your forehead Do not be afraid

Ezekiel 9:4
HEB: תָּ֜ו עַל־ מִצְח֣וֹת הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים הַנֶּֽאֱנָחִים֙
NAS: a mark on the foreheads of the men
KJV: a mark upon the foreheads of the men
INT: A mark over the foreheads of the men sigh

13 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 4696
13 Occurrences

bə·miṣ·ḥōw — 2 Occ.
mê·ṣaḥ — 2 Occ.
miṣ·ḥă·ḵā — 1 Occ.
miṣ·ḥām — 1 Occ.
miṣ·ḥe·ḵā — 1 Occ.
miṣ·ḥōw — 2 Occ.
miṣ·ḥō·wṯ — 1 Occ.
ū·mê·ṣaḥ — 1 Occ.
ū·miṣ·ḥă·ḵā — 1 Occ.
ḇə·miṣ·ḥōw — 1 Occ.