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מֹתֶן

𐤌𐤕𐤍

môthen

H4975 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Anatomically, the region of the body encompassing the loins, hips, or lower back, especially the area around the waist or flanks. Used primarily in the plural to refer to the loins, particularly as the source of physical strength, procreative capacity (as in descendants issuing from the loins), or the place for girding with a belt or armor. The word can also refer figuratively to the seat of physical vigor, procreative potency, or readiness for action.

Semantic Range

loins, waist, hips, region about the lower back and hips, source of physical strength, seat of procreative power, figurative for vigor, seat of readiness or preparedness

Root / Etymology

Root is uncertain. Traditional lexicography linked it to an unused root meaning 'to be slender', but there is no direct attestation of such a root in biblical Hebrew. Cognates in other Semitic languages are not clearly attested, and etymology remains obscure.

Historical & Contextual Notes

מֹתֶן appears almost exclusively in the plural (מוֹתְנַיִם, motnayim) and designates the anatomical region between the ribs and the hips, often referred to in idioms about strength, fertility, or preparedness. It commonly appears in contexts where one girds the loins in preparation for activity, travel, or battle and in genealogical expressions indicating descent (e.g., 'came out of the loins of'). The expression 'girding one's loins' was a metaphor for being ready for action or hardship. The metaphorical uses contrast with related terms for reproductive organs (e.g., יָרֵךְ yarekh, which more commonly emphasizes the thigh or upper leg as in covenant-making). While some translations use 'waist' or 'hips', the idiomatic and physiological implications in biblical Hebrew often extend beyond mere physical description to encompass cultural associations of strength, virility, preparedness, or lineage. Usage remained broadly consistent throughout Israelite history, from narrative to poetic contexts, and into Second Temple writings. Later translations sometimes rendered מֹתֶן with terms like 'side', 'hip', or 'loins', but the full range, especially regarding descent, may be obscured in such translations.

Translation Consistency

primary "loins" 47 occurrences

The Hebrew noun is overwhelmingly used in the plural and in English idiomatically as “loins” (gird up your loins, loins as source of strength/offspring). “Loins” naturally covers the anatomical sense (hips/waist/lower back) and the common figurative senses (vigor, procreative potency, readiness), so it is the most consistent and natural choice.

✓ All renderings match approved senses

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from an unused root meaning to be slender; properly, the waist or small of the back; only in plural the loins; [phrase] greyhound, loins, side.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

uncertain (Baleadan) — uncertain

Root uncertain to be slender (uncertain), waist, loins, flank
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1002 בִּירָה the citadel
H105 אֲגַרְטָל bowls of
H1081 בַּלְאֲדָן Baladan
H1085 בִּלְדַּד Bildad
H1095 בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר Belteshatsar

Word Forms

19 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H4975-05 מָתְנַ֨יִם֙ matenayim HNcmda loins loins loins 9
H4975-06 מָתְנָ֑י/ו matenayv HNcmdc/Sp3ms his loins his loins his loins 7
H4975-01 בְּ/מָתְנָ֔י/ו bematenayv HR/Ncmdc/Sp3ms on his loins in his loins in his loins 6
H4975-10 מָתְנֶ֗י/ךָ mateneykha HNcmdc/Sp2ms your loins your loins your loins 6
H4975-02 בְּ/מָתְנֵי/הֶ֜ם bemateneyhem HR/Ncmdc/Sp3mp on their loins in their loins in their loins 3
H4975-04 מָתְנַ/י֙ matenay HNcmdc/Sp1cs my loins my loins my loins 2
H4975-13 מִ/מָּתְנֵ֥י mimateney HR/Ncmdc than the loins from the loins of than the loins 2
H4975-03 בְּ/מָתְנֵ֜י/נוּ bemateneynu HR/Ncmdc/Sp1cp on our loins in our loins on our loins 1
H4975-07 מָתְנֵי mateney HNcmdc waist loins of loins of 1
H4975-08 מָתְנֶ֑י/הָ mateneyha HNcmdc/Sp3fs her loins her loins her loins 1

Occurrences in Scripture

47 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H4975-01 Genesis 37:34 בְּ/מָתְנָ֑י/ו bematenayv HR/Ncmdc/Sp3ms on his loins in his loins on his loins
H4975-11 Exodus 12:11 מָתְנֵי/כֶ֣ם mateneykhem HNcmdc/Sp2mp your loins your loins your loins
H4975-12 Exodus 28:42 מִ/מָּתְנַ֥יִם mimatenayim HR/Ncmda from the loins loins loins
H4975-05 Deuteronomy 33:11 מָתְנַ֧יִם matenayim HNcmda loins loins loins
H4975-06 2 Samuel 20:8 מָתְנָי/ו֙ matenayv HNcmdc/Sp3ms his loins his loins his loins
H4975-01 1 Kings 2:5 בְּ/מָתְנָ֔י/ו bematenayv HR/Ncmdc/Sp3ms around his waist in his loins in his loins
H4975-13 1 Kings 12:10 מִ/מָּתְנֵ֥י mimateney HR/Ncmdc than the loins of from the loins of than the loins of
H4975-06 1 Kings 18:46 מָתְנָ֑י/ו matenayv HNcmdc/Sp3ms his loins his loins his loins
H4975-03 1 Kings 20:31 בְּ/מָתְנֵ֜י/נוּ bemateneynu HR/Ncmdc/Sp1cp on our loins in our loins on our loins
H4975-02 1 Kings 20:32 בְּ/מָתְנֵי/הֶ֜ם bemateneyhem HR/Ncmdc/Sp3mp on their loins in their loins in their loins
H4975-01 2 Kings 1:8 בְּ/מָתְנָ֑י/ו bematenayv HR/Ncmdc/Sp3ms around his loins in his loins in his loins
H4975-10 2 Kings 4:29 מָתְנֶ֗י/ךָ mateneykha HNcmdc/Sp2ms your loins your loins your loins
H4975-10 2 Kings 9:1 מָתְנֶ֗י/ךָ mateneykha HNcmdc/Sp2ms your loins your loins your loins
H4975-06 Isaiah 11:5 מָתְנָ֑י/ו matenayv HNcmdc/Sp3ms of his loins his loins his loins
H4975-10 Isaiah 20:2 מָתְנֶ֔י/ךָ mateneykha HNcmdc/Sp2ms your-loins your loins your loins
H4975-04 Isaiah 21:3 מָתְנַ/י֙ matenay HNcmdc/Sp1cs my loins my loins my loins
H4975-15 Isaiah 45:1 וּ/מָתְנֵ֥י umateney HC/Ncmdc and loins of and loins of and loins of
H4975-10 Jeremiah 1:17 מָתְנֶ֔י/ךָ mateneykha HNcmdc/Sp2ms your loins your loins your loins
H4975-10 Jeremiah 13:1 מָתְנֶ֑י/ךָ mateneykha HNcmdc/Sp2ms your-loins your loins your loins
H4975-04 Jeremiah 13:2 מָתְנָֽ/י matenay HNcmdc/Sp1cs my waist my loins my loins
H4975-10 Jeremiah 13:4 מָתְנֶ֑י/ךָ mateneykha HNcmdc/Sp2ms your waist your loins your loins
H4975-07 Jeremiah 13:11 מָתְנֵי mateney HNcmdc waist loins of loins of
H4975-05 Jeremiah 48:37 מָתְנַ֖יִם matenayim HNcmda loins loins loins
H4975-06 Ezekiel 1:27 מָתְנָ֖י/ו matenayv HNcmdc/Sp3ms his loins his loins his loins
H4975-06 Ezekiel 1:27 מָתְנָי/ו֙ matenayv-2 HNcmdc/Sp3ms his loins his loins his loins
H4975-06 Ezekiel 8:2 מָתְנָ֛י/ו matenayv HNcmdc/Sp3ms of his waist his loins his loins
H4975-17 Ezekiel 8:2 וּ/מִ/מָּתְנָ֣י/ו umimatenayv HC/R/Ncmdc/Sp3ms and from his waist and from his loins and from his loins
H4975-01 Ezekiel 9:2 בְּ/מָתְנָ֑י/ו bematenayv HR/Ncmdc/Sp3ms at his side in his loins in his loins
H4975-01 Ezekiel 9:3 בְּ/מָתְנָֽי/ו bematenayv HR/Ncmdc/Sp3ms at-his-side in his loins in his loins
H4975-01 Ezekiel 9:11 בְּ/מָתְנָ֔י/ו bematenayv HR/Ncmdc/Sp3ms at his waist in his loins in his loins
H4975-05 Ezekiel 21:11 מָתְנַ֨יִם֙ matenayim HNcmda of loins loins loins
H4975-02 Ezekiel 23:15 בְּ/מָתְנֵי/הֶ֗ם bemateneyhem HR/Ncmdc/Sp3mp on their loins in their loins in their loins
H4975-05 Ezekiel 29:7 מָתְנָֽיִם matenayim HNcmda loins loins loins
H4975-09 Ezekiel 44:18 מָתְנֵי/הֶ֑ם mateneyhem HNcmdc/Sp3mp their loins their loins their loins
H4975-05 Ezekiel 47:4 מָתְנָֽיִם matenayim HNcmda loins loins loins
H4975-05 Amos 8:10 מָתְנַ֨יִם֙ matenayim HNcmda loins loins loins
H4975-05 Nahum 2:2 מָתְנַ֔יִם matenayim HNcmda yourself loins loins
H4975-05 Nahum 2:11 מָתְנַ֔יִם matenayim HNcmda loins loins loins
H4975-19 Psalms 66:11 בְ/מָתְנֵֽי/נוּ vemateneynu HR/Ncmdc/Sp1cp upon our loins in our loins upon our loins
H4975-16 Psalms 69:24 וּ֝/מָתְנֵ֗י/הֶם umateneyhem HC/Ncmdc/Sp3mp and their loins their loins and their loins
H4975-05 Proverbs 30:31 מָתְנַ֣יִם matenayim HNcmda loins loins loins
H4975-08 Proverbs 31:17 מָתְנֶ֑י/הָ mateneyha HNcmdc/Sp3fs her loins her loins her loins
H4975-02 Job 12:18 בְּ/מָתְנֵי/הֶֽם bemateneyhem HR/Ncmdc/Sp3mp on their loins in their loins in their loins
H4975-18 Job 40:16 בְ/מָתְנָ֑י/ו vematenayv HR/Ncmdc/Sp3ms in his loins in his loins in his loins
H4975-14 Daniel 10:5 וּ/מָתְנָ֥י/ו umatenayv HC/Ncmdc/Sp3ms whose waist and his loins and his loins
H4975-06 Nehemiah 4:12 מָתְנָ֖י/ו matenayv HNcmdc/Sp3ms his loins his loins his loins
H4975-13 2 Chronicles 10:10 מִ/מָּתְנֵ֥י mimateney HR/Ncmdc than the loins from the loins of than the loins
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