4969. mathach

Lexicon

mathach: To stretch, extend, spread out

Original Word: מָתַח
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: mathach
Pronunciation: maw-thakh'
Phonetic Spelling: (maw-thakh')
Definition: To stretch, extend, spread out
Meaning: to stretch out

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

spread out

A primitive root; to stretch out -- spread out.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to spread out
NASB Translation
spreads (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

[מָתַח] verb spread out (Late Hebrew id.; Aramaic , מְתַח; Arabic be long, long (probably load-word); compare perhaps Assyrian matâ—u, direct the eyes toward); — only

Qal Imperfect3masculine singular suffix וַיִּמְתָּחֵם Isaiah 40:22 and he (׳י) hath spread them (the heavens) out as a tent to dwell in.

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: A primitive root

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • G1614 ἐκτείνω (ekteinō): to stretch out, extend
• G4724 σπεύδω (speudō): to hasten, urge on, which can imply stretching forward in eagerness

These Greek terms capture similar nuances of extending or reaching out, often used in the New Testament to describe actions of Jesus or the apostles, such as stretching out a hand to heal or to help.

Usage: The verb מָתַח (māṯaḥ) is used in the Hebrew Bible to describe the action of stretching out or extending something. This can refer to physical objects, such as a tent or a line, or metaphorically to describe actions or divine interventions.

Context: The Hebrew verb מָתַח (māṯaḥ) appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, often conveying the idea of stretching or extending. It is used in both literal and figurative senses. For instance, in the construction of the Tabernacle, the term is used to describe the stretching out of the tent curtains (Exodus 26:7). In a more metaphorical sense, it can describe the extension of God's hand or power, as seen in passages where divine intervention is depicted as God stretching out His hand against nations or individuals (e.g., Isaiah 5:25).

The action of stretching out is also used in the context of measuring or marking boundaries, as seen in Zechariah 1:16, where a measuring line is stretched out over Jerusalem. This usage underscores the precision and intentionality involved in God's plans and purposes.

The verb מָתַח (māṯaḥ) is thus a versatile term that captures both the physical act of stretching and the broader theological themes of God's sovereignty and meticulous care in creation and judgment.

Forms and Transliterations

וַיִּמְתָּחֵ֥ם וימתחם vaiyimtaChem way·yim·tā·ḥêm wayyimtāḥêm

Englishman's Concordance

Isaiah 40:22
HEB: כַדֹּק֙ שָׁמַ֔יִם וַיִּמְתָּחֵ֥ם כָּאֹ֖הֶל לָשָֽׁבֶת׃
NAS: like a curtain And spreads them out like a tent
KJV: as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent
INT: A curtain the heavens and spreads A tent to dwell

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 4969
1 Occurrence

way·yim·tā·ḥêm — 1 Occ.