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מְאוּמָה

𐤌𐤀𐤅𐤌𐤄

mᵉʼûwmâh

H3972 noun

SILEX Entry

Root מאם to mark, stain, be blemished

Definition

Indefinite pronoun signifying 'anything' or 'something'; most commonly used in negative constructions to indicate 'nothing' or 'not anything,' but may also occur in positive or interrogative contexts as 'anything at all' or 'something.' In some cases, it can refer idiomatically to 'any fault' or 'any matter of concern.' The semantic field includes both tangible ('any object') and intangible ('any matter' or 'any guilt') referents, typically with a focus on the existence or absence of some unspecified entity or issue.

Semantic Range

anything, something, nothing (in negative constructions), any fault, any matter, any object, any concern, any guilt, any wrongdoing

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root מאם (m-ʼ-m), meaning 'to be stained, marked, or defiled,' though the original root is rare and mostly attested in the noun forms מאוּם and מְאוּמָה. The base sense is a 'mark, spot, blemish,' but the word develops into an abstract indefinite pronoun ('anything', 'something'). Sometimes compared with מאוּם (maʼûm), which shares a root and similar ranges of meaning. The root is not widely used in other Hebrew derivations.

Historical & Contextual Notes

מְאוּמָה is almost always used in negative constructions (e.g., לֹא מְאוּמָה, 'not anything,' 'nothing') throughout the Hebrew Bible, common in Deuteronomistic and Chronicler history and Wisdom literature. The word may refer to inanimate objects, matters of concern, or faults/blemishes, depending on context. It functions as an indefinite pronoun and is rare outside formulaic expressions. In pre-exilic contexts, it appears mainly in narrative descriptions; in later literature, its abstract use becomes more pronounced. In contrast to דָּבָר (dābār, 'word, thing, matter'), which can refer to specified or substantial things, מְאוּמָה emphasizes the indefinite, insubstantial, or minimal. Standard English translations ('anything,' 'nothing,' 'something,' 'fault') generally reflect the contextual usage, but may obscure the emphasis on indefiniteness or the original nuance of 'a mark' or 'minute amount.' The usage does not correspond to the later English idiom 'ought' in the ethical sense; context determines whether reference is to a physical item, an event, or fault/blame.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

apparently a form of מאוּם; properly, a speck or point, i.e. (by implication) something; with negative, nothing; fault, [phrase] no(-ught), ought, somewhat, any (no-)thing.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

מאם (m-ʾ-m) — mark, stain, blemish

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H3972-02 מְא֑וּמָּה meumah HNcfsa anything any marked thing 28
H3972-01 לִ/מְאֽוּמָה limeumah HR/Ncfsa as anything any marked thing 2
H3972-03 וּ/מְא֖וּמָה umeumah HC/Ncfsa and nothing and anything at all 2

Occurrences in Scripture

32 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H3972-02 Genesis 22:12 מְא֑וּמָּה meumah HNcfsa anything any marked thing
H3972-02 Genesis 30:31 מְא֔וּמָה meumah HNcfsa anything any marked thing
H3972-02 Genesis 39:6 מְא֔וּמָה meumah HNcfsa anything any marked thing
H3972-02 Genesis 39:9 מְא֔וּמָה meumah HNcfsa anything any marked thing
H3972-02 Genesis 39:23 מְא֨וּמָה֙ meumah HNcfsa at all any marked thing
H3972-02 Genesis 40:15 מְא֔וּמָה meumah HNcfsa anything any marked thing
H3972-02 Numbers 22:38 מְא֑וּמָה meumah HNcfsa anything any marked thing
H3972-02 Deuteronomy 13:18 מְא֖וּמָה meumah HNcfsa anything any marked thing
H3972-02 Deuteronomy 24:10 מְא֑וּמָה meumah HNcfsa of anything any marked thing
H3972-03 Judges 14:6 וּ/מְא֖וּמָה umeumah HC/Ncfsa and nothing and anything at all
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