The meaning of “מָצָא”
Understanding mâtsâʼ reveals the original theological depth often simplified in translation.
[phrase] be able, befall, being, catch, [idiom] certainly, (cause to) come (on, to, to hand), deliver, be enough (cause ...
מָצָא
[phrase] be able, befall, being, catch, [idiom] certainly, (cause to) come (on, to, to hand), deliver, be enough (cause to) find(-ing, occasion, out), get (hold upon), [idiom] have (here), be here, hit, be left, light (up-) on, meet (with), [idiom] occasion serve, (be) present, ready, speed, suffice, take hold on. - properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or exist - transitively, to attain, i.e. find or acquire - figuratively, to occur, meet or be present 1) to find, attain to 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to find 1a1a) to find, secure, acquire, get (thing sought) 1a1b) to find (what is lost) 1a1c) to meet, encounter 1a1d) to find (a condition) 1a1e) to learn, devise 1a2) to find out 1a2a) to find out 1a2b) to detect 1a2c) to guess 1a3) to come upon, light upon 1a3a) to happen upon, meet, fall in with 1a3b) to hit 1a3c) to befall 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be found 1b1a) to be encountered, be lighted upon, be discovered 1b1b) to appear, be recognised 1b1c) to be discovered, be detected 1b1d) to be gained, be secured 1b2) to be, be found 1b2a) to be found in 1b2b) to be in the possession of 1b2c) to be found in (a place), happen to be 1b2d) to be left (after war) 1b2e) to be present 1b2f) to prove to be 1b2g) to be found sufficient, be enough 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to cause to find, attain 1c2) to cause to light upon, come upon, come 1c3) to cause to encounter 1c4) to present (offering)
Occurrences in the Bible
| Reference | Text | |
|---|---|---|
| Genesis 31:37 | “Whereas thou hast searched all my stuff, what hast thou found of all thy household stuff? set it here before my brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge betwixt us both.” Word: מָצָא (mâtsâʼ) | |
| Judges 14:18 | “And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.” Word: מָצָא (mâtsâʼ) | |
| 1 Chronicles 20:2 | “And David took the crown of their king from off his head, and found it to weigh a talent of gold, and there were precious stones in it; and it was set upon David’s head: and he brought also exceeding much spoil out of the city.” Word: מָצָא (mâtsâʼ) | |
| Psalms 76:5 | “The stouthearted are spoiled, they have slept their sleep: and none of the men of might have found their hands.” Word: מָצָא (mâtsâʼ) | |
| Lamentations 2:9 | “Her gates are sunk into the ground; he hath destroyed and broken her bars: her king and her princes are among the Gentiles: the law is no more; her prophets also find no vision from the Lord.” Word: מָצָא (mâtsâʼ) |
Usage Statistics
Related Words
Cross-referenced Strong's numbers with semantic or etymological connections.