מָחָה (H4229) — Hebrew Lexicon

מָחָה

𐤌𐤇𐤄

mâchâh

H4229 verb

SILEX Entry

Root מחה to wipe, to erase, to rub off, to obliterate

Definition

To wipe, remove, or obliterate by wiping; to blot out something by rubbing or stroking, often as an act of erasure or destruction. In biblical usage, frequently refers to the removal of writing, memory, or existence (concrete or abstract), such as erasing names from a record, blotting out sin or transgression, or wiping out a people or nation. Sometimes references the physical action of wiping away (e.g., tears), or the complete removal (e.g., wiping out cities or peoples).

Semantic Range

to wipe, to wipe out, to blot out, to erase writing or a name, to obliterate memory, to destroy or remove utterly, to wipe away tears, to erase sin or guilt, to eliminate entirely

Root / Etymology

The verb is derived from the root מחה, whose basic sense is 'to wipe' or 'to rub.' The primary meaning is a physical action—wiping or rubbing so as to remove a substance, generally by force or repeated motion. The verb then gains metaphorical uses for erasing or obliterating, extending to both physical and abstract objects. There is no certainty of cognates outside Semitic languages. The root is distinct from similar roots meaning 'to anoint' or 'to make smooth' (משח, for anointing), though the semantic field loosely touches in the action of smearing when used of wiping grease or oil.

Historical & Contextual Notes

מָחָה appears often in contexts of divine or judicial action: erasing names from genealogical or legal records (an ultimate act of disinheritance or judicial deletion), blotting out guilt or punishment, or wiping out entire peoples during judgment narratives. The concept of 'wiping away' is also extended to acts of mercy (e.g., wiping away tears, Isaiah 25:8). The usage varies slightly across historical books, with earlier texts emphasizing physical removal or destruction, while prophetic and poetic sources expand to include the erasure of memory, sin, or sorrow. In translation, 'blot out' commonly renders this verb, though English may not fully convey the ritual or judicial intensity the word often bears in Hebrew. The term should not be confused with anointing (משח) or making fat (דשן) despite some overlap in translation tradition. The word spans both literal and metaphorical erasure, sometimes with spiritual or emotional implications.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; properly, to stroke or rub; by implication, to erase; also to smooth (as if with oil), i.e. grease or make fat; also to touch, i.e. reach to; abolish, blot out, destroy, full of marrow, put out, reach unto, [idiom] utterly, wipe (away, out).

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Root Family

מחה (m-ḥ-h) — to wipe, erase, blot out, obliterate

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H4220	מֵחַ	fat portions
H4239	מְחִי	and striking-ram of
H4287	מַחַת	Machath
H4289	מַחְתָּה	the coal-removal pan

Word Forms

28 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H4229-18`	וּ/מָחָ֖ה	umachah	`HC/Vqq3ms`	and he shall blot out	and he wiped out	4
`H4229-01`	אֶמְחֶ֨ה	emecheh	`HVqi1cs`	blot out	I will wipe out	2
`H4229-09`	מְחֵ֣ה	mecheh	`HVqv2ms`	blot out	Wipe out!	2
`H4229-26`	יִמָּחֶ֥ה	yimacheh	`HVNi3ms`	be blotted out	he will be wiped out	2
`H4229-20`	וּ/מָחִ֗יתִי	umachiti	`HC/Vqp1cs`	and I will blot out / wipe out	and I wiped out	2
`H4229-16`	תִמָּחֶֽה	timacheh	`HVNi3fs`	be blotted out	she will be obliterated	2
`H4229-28`	יִמְחֶ֤ה	yimecheh	`HVqi3ms`	wipes	he will wipe out	1
`H4229-02`	אֶמְחֶ֖/נּוּ	emechenu	`HVqi1cs/Sp3ms`	I will blot him out	I will wipe him out	1
`H4229-11`	מְמֻ֣חָיִ֔ם	memuchayim	`HVPsmpa`	full of marrow	wiped-out ones	1
`H4229-06`	מָ֝חִ֗יתָ	machita	`HVqp2ms`	you have blotted out	you wiped out	1
`H4229-10`	מְחֵ֣/נִי	mecheni	`HVqv2ms/Sp1cs`	erase me	wipe me out	1
`H4229-15`	תִּמָּֽח	timach	`HVNj3fs`	be blotted out	may she be wiped out	1
`H4229-12`	מֹחֶ֥ה	mocheh	`HVqrmsa`	who blots out	the one who wipes out	1
`H4229-25`	יִמַּ֥ח	yimach	`HVNi3ms`	let be blotted out	he will be wiped out	1
`H4229-05`	מָחָ֔ה	machah	`HVqp3ms`	wiping	he wiped out	1
`H4229-08`	מָחֹ֤ה	machoh	`HVqa`	I will surely	wiping out	1
`H4229-27`	יִ֭מָּחֽוּ	yimachu	`HVNi3mp`	Let them be blotted out	they will be wiped out	1
`H4229-13`	תֶּ֣מַח	temach	`HVhj2ms`	blot out	may you cause to wipe out	1
`H4229-19`	וּ/מָ֣חֲתָה	umachatah	`HC/Vqq3fs`	and wipes	and she wiped out	1
`H4229-14`	תֶּ֑מְחִי	temechi	`HVhj2ms`	blot out	may you wipe out	1
`H4229-21`	וַ/יִּ֜מַח	vayimach	`HC/Vqw3ms`	and he blotted out	and he wiped out	1
`H4229-22`	וַ/יִּמָּח֖וּ	vayimachu	`HC/VNw3mp`	and they were blotted out	and they were wiped out	1
`H4229-17`	תִּמְחֶה֙	timecheh	`HVqi2ms`	you shall blot out	you will wipe out	1
`H4229-04`	לִ/מְחוֹת֙	limechot	`HR/Vqc`	to blot out	to wipe out	1
`H4229-23`	וְ/אֶמְחֶ֣ה	veemecheh	`HC/Vqh1cs`	and blot out	and let me wipe out	1
`H4229-24`	וְ/נִמְח֖וּ	venimechu	`HC/VNq3cp`	and abolished	and they were wiped out	1
`H4229-03`	לַֽ/מְח֥וֹת	lamechot	`HR/Vhc`	to those that destroy	to wipe out	1
`H4229-07`	מָחִ֤יתִי	machiti	`HVqp1cs`	I have blotted out	I wiped out	1

Occurrences in Scripture

36 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H4229-01`	Genesis 6:7	אֶמְחֶ֨ה	emecheh	`HVqi1cs`	I will blot out	I will wipe out
`H4229-20`	Genesis 7:4	וּ/מָחִ֗יתִי	umachiti	`HC/Vqp1cs`	and I will blot out / wipe out	and I wiped out
`H4229-21`	Genesis 7:23	וַ/יִּ֜מַח	vayimach	`HC/Vqw3ms`	and he blotted out	and he wiped out
`H4229-22`	Genesis 7:23	וַ/יִּמָּח֖וּ	vayimachu	`HC/VNw3mp`	and they were blotted out	and they were wiped out
`H4229-08`	Exodus 17:14	מָחֹ֤ה	machoh	`HVqa`	I will surely	wiping out
`H4229-01`	Exodus 17:14	אֶמְחֶה֙	emecheh	`HVqi1cs`	blot out	I will wipe out
`H4229-10`	Exodus 32:32	מְחֵ֣/נִי	mecheni	`HVqv2ms/Sp1cs`	erase me	wipe me out
`H4229-02`	Exodus 32:33	אֶמְחֶ֖/נּוּ	emechenu	`HVqi1cs/Sp3ms`	I will blot him out	I will wipe him out
`H4229-18`	Numbers 5:23	וּ/מָחָ֖ה	umachah	`HC/Vqq3ms`	and he shall blot out	and he wiped out
`H4229-18`	Numbers 34:11	וּ/מָחָ֛ה	umachah	`HC/Vqq3ms`	and reach	and he wiped out
`H4229-23`	Deuteronomy 9:14	וְ/אֶמְחֶ֣ה	veemecheh	`HC/Vqh1cs`	and blot out	and let me wipe out
`H4229-26`	Deuteronomy 25:6	יִמָּחֶ֥ה	yimacheh	`HVNi3ms`	will be blotted out	he will be wiped out
`H4229-17`	Deuteronomy 25:19	תִּמְחֶה֙	timecheh	`HVqi2ms`	you shall blot out	you will wipe out
`H4229-18`	Deuteronomy 29:19	וּ/מָחָ֤ה	umachah	`HC/Vqq3ms`	and will blot out	and he wiped out
`H4229-26`	Judges 21:17	יִמָּחֶ֥ה	yimacheh	`HVNi3ms`	be blotted out	he will be wiped out
`H4229-04`	2 Kings 14:27	לִ/מְחוֹת֙	limechot	`HR/Vqc`	to blot out	to wipe out
`H4229-20`	2 Kings 21:13	וּ/מָחִ֨יתִי	umachiti	`HC/Vqq1cs`	and I will wipe	and I wiped out
`H4229-28`	2 Kings 21:13	יִמְחֶ֤ה	yimecheh	`HVqi3ms`	wipes	he will wipe out
`H4229-05`	2 Kings 21:13	מָחָ֔ה	machah	`HVqp3ms`	wiping	he wiped out
`H4229-11`	Isaiah 25:6	מְמֻ֣חָיִ֔ם	memuchayim	`HVPsmpa`	full of marrow	wiped-out ones
`H4229-18`	Isaiah 25:8	וּ/מָחָ֨ה	umachah	`HC/Vqq3ms`	and will wipe away	and he wiped out
`H4229-12`	Isaiah 43:25	מֹחֶ֥ה	mocheh	`HVqrmsa`	who blots out	the one who wipes out
`H4229-07`	Isaiah 44:22	מָחִ֤יתִי	machiti	`HVqp1cs`	I have blotted out	I wiped out
`H4229-14`	Jeremiah 18:23	תֶּ֑מְחִי	temechi	`HVhj2ms`	blot out	may you wipe out
`H4229-24`	Ezekiel 6:6	וְ/נִמְח֖וּ	venimechu	`HC/VNq3cp`	and abolished	and they were wiped out
`H4229-06`	Psalms 9:6	מָ֝חִ֗יתָ	machita	`HVqp2ms`	you have blotted out	you wiped out
`H4229-09`	Psalms 51:3	מְחֵ֣ה	mecheh	`HVqv2ms`	blot-out	Wipe out!
`H4229-09`	Psalms 51:11	מְחֵֽה	mecheh	`HVqv2ms`	blot out	Wipe out!
`H4229-27`	Psalms 69:29	יִ֭מָּחֽוּ	yimachu	`HVNi3mp`	Let them be blotted out	they will be wiped out
`H4229-25`	Psalms 109:13	יִמַּ֥ח	yimach	`HVNi3ms`	let be blotted out	he will be wiped out
`H4229-15`	Psalms 109:14	תִּמָּֽח	timach	`HVNj3fs`	be blotted out	may she be wiped out
`H4229-16`	Proverbs 6:33	תִמָּחֶֽה	timacheh	`HVNi3fs`	will-be-wiped-away	she will be obliterated
`H4229-19`	Proverbs 30:20	וּ/מָ֣חֲתָה	umachatah	`HC/Vqq3fs`	and wipes	and she wiped out
`H4229-03`	Proverbs 31:3	לַֽ/מְח֥וֹת	lamechot	`HR/Vhc`	to those that destroy	to wipe out
`H4229-16`	Nehemiah 3:37	תִּמָּחֶ֑ה	timacheh	`HVNj3fs`	be blotted out	she will be obliterated
`H4229-13`	Nehemiah 13:14	תֶּ֣מַח	temach	`HVhj2ms`	blot out	may you cause to wipe out

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