מָהַל
𐤌𐤄𐤋
mâhal
H4107 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To profane, violate, or break faith by altering or corrupting something that should remain pure or intact; in biblical usage, most frequently refers to breaking faith, acting treacherously, or corrupting what is sacred or pure, including covenants, trust, or even substances such as metals. The semantic range covers both literal alteration (such as mixing or alloying) and metaphorical breach of integrity (such as betrayal or infidelity).
Semantic Range
to break faith, to act treacherously, to commit sacrilege, to adulterate (literally or figuratively), to violate a covenant, to corrupt (substances or agreements), to betray trust
Root / Etymology
Root מ־ה־ל (מהל), likely expressing the act of diminishing, weakening, or breaking from within. The core idea involves causing a thing to fail or become inferior (e.g., by adulteration or faithlessness). Derived forms pertain to treacherous conduct or corruption. The root is distinct from related roots for general sin or unfaithfulness; it uniquely connotes internal corruption or violation.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, מָהַל is almost always used in a moral or covenantal context—describing the breach of a solemn obligation, covenant, or trust (e.g., breaching the covenant with YHWH or acting treacherously against people or God). It may occur in connection with ‘breaking faith’ or ‘acting treacherously’ (cf. Leviticus 5:15, 6:2, Joshua 7:1). Occasionally, it appears in reference to corrupting metals, but this is less frequent than the ethical-covenantal sense. In post-biblical Hebrew, the sense of ‘adulterate’ or ‘corrupt’ becomes more prominent, especially in later Hebrew writings referring to diluting metal. English translations often render it as ‘trespass,’ ‘act unfaithfully,’ or ‘deal treacherously,’ but these sometimes obscure the root idea of corruption or internal violation. Distinct from חָטָא (to miss, to sin in a general sense) or פָּשַׁע (to rebel, transgress openly), מָהַל highlights the breach of existing obligation by internal corruption or betrayal. The notion of ‘adulteration’ in the Strong’s gloss is a specialized extension, not the primary or only sense.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; properly, to cut down or reduce, i.e. by implication, to adulterate; mixed.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
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מהל (m-h-l) — diminish, corrupt, betray
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1118 | בִּמְהָל | And In-Unfaithfulness |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4107-01 |
מָה֥וּל | mahul | HVqsmsa |
mixed | corrupted one | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4107-01 |
Isaiah 1:22 | מָה֥וּל | mahul | HVqsmsa |
mixed | corrupted one |