מוּץ
𐤌𐤅𐤑
mûwts
H4160 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
To press or squeeze; in extended or figurative senses, to oppress or harass by pressure, especially in the context of financial extortion or exploitation. The verbal root focuses on the act of exerting pressure for gain, particularly in social or legal contexts.
Semantic Range
to press, to squeeze, to oppress, to extort, to harass for gain, to act as an extortioner, to exploit
Root / Etymology
Root: מוּץ. The root conveys the idea of pressing or squeezing, both literally and metaphorically. The verb came to denote applying pressure in a way that brings distress or hardship, often for personal profit.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The verb is rare and appears in poetic or legal contexts (e.g., Psalm 62:11 [10]). In Iron Age Hebrew, the use of מוּץ often relates to the unfair exertion of power for personal gain. The related noun and participle forms—such as מוֹצֵץ (oppressor, extortioner)—appear in later Hebrew and rabbinic materials. While English translations may render the term as 'extort' or 'oppress,' nuances of pressing or squeezing (evocative of literal physical pressure) may be missed, as well as the economic or legal exploitation present in some contexts. The word is not widespread but contributes to a semantic field distinct from other roots for oppression like לחץ (to oppress), emphasizing pressure for unlawful or exploitative gain. There is no certain evidence for the root outside the context of legal injustice or social exploitation, and it is not used in passages regarding general hardship or suffering. Later Jewish interpretive traditions, finding the term rare, often align it with economic wrongdoing. The meaning does not strictly map onto terms for general enemies or adversaries (such as צר), but is focused on exploitative pressure.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to press, i.e. (figuratively) to oppress; extortioner.
Bantu Hebrew
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+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
מוץ (m-w-ts) — to press, to squeeze, to apply pressure
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4160-01 |
הַ/מֵּץ֙ | hamets | HTd/Ncmsa |
the extortioner | the pressure-extorter | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4160-01 |
Isaiah 16:4 | הַ/מֵּץ֙ | hamets | HTd/Ncmsa |
the extortioner | the pressure-extorter |