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מָחָה

𐤌𐤇𐤄

mâchâh

H4229 verb

SILEX Entry

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.

Translation Consistency

primary "wipe" 21 occurrences

‘Wipe’ is the most natural, flexible English verb that covers the full biblical range: physical wiping, erasing or blotting out names/writings, and the complete removal or destruction of persons or memory. It is more idiomatic than formal alternatives (e.g. ‘obliterate’) and fits the common translations (‘wipe out’, ‘wipe away’, ‘wiped from the book’) while remaining a single consistent base word for all forms.

Alternatives (15 occurrences):
"blotted out" (6x) "blot out" (3x) "erase" (1x) "blot him out" (1x) "reach" (1x) "full of marrow" (1x) "who blots out" (1x) "destroyers" (1x)

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).

Bantu Hebrew

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

Root Family

מחה (Machat) — to be soft, to wipe, to smear

Root מחה to wipe, to erase, to rub off, to 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 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H4229-18 וּ/מָחָ֤ה umachah HC/Vqq3ms and he shall blot out and he wiped out and he will wipe out 4
H4229-01 אֶמְחֶה֙ emecheh HVqi1cs blot out I will wipe out I will wipe out 2
H4229-09 מְחֵ֣ה mecheh HVqv2ms blot out Wipe out! Wipe out! 2
H4229-16 תִּמָּחֶ֑ה timacheh HVNj3fs be blotted out she will be obliterated it will be wiped out 2
H4229-20 וּ/מָחִ֨יתִי umachiti HC/Vqq1cs and I will blot out / wipe out and I wiped out and I will blot out 2
H4229-26 יִמָּחֶ֥ה yimacheh HVNi3ms be blotted out he will be wiped out his name will be wiped out 2
H4229-02 אֶמְחֶ֖/נּוּ emechenu HVqi1cs/Sp3ms I will blot him out I will wipe him out I will blot him out 1
H4229-03 לַֽ/מְח֥וֹת lamechot HR/Vhc to those that destroy to wipe out to destroyers 1
H4229-04 לִ/מְחוֹת֙ limechot HR/Vqc to blot out to wipe out to wipe out 1
H4229-05 מָחָ֔ה machah HVqp3ms wiping he wiped out he wiped out 1

Occurrences in Scripture

36 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H4229-01 Genesis 6:7 אֶמְחֶ֨ה emecheh HVqi1cs I will blot out I will wipe 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 and I will blot out
H4229-21 Genesis 7:23 וַ/יִּ֜מַח vayimach HC/Vqw3ms and he blotted out and he wiped out and he blotted out
H4229-22 Genesis 7:23 וַ/יִּמָּח֖וּ vayimachu HC/VNw3mp and they were blotted out and they were wiped out and they were blotted out
H4229-08 Exodus 17:14 מָחֹ֤ה machoh HVqa I will surely wiping out wiping out
H4229-01 Exodus 17:14 אֶמְחֶה֙ emecheh HVqi1cs blot out I will wipe out I will wipe out
H4229-10 Exodus 32:32 מְחֵ֣/נִי mecheni HVqv2ms/Sp1cs erase me wipe me out erase me
H4229-02 Exodus 32:33 אֶמְחֶ֖/נּוּ emechenu HVqi1cs/Sp3ms I will blot him out I will wipe him out I will blot him out
H4229-18 Numbers 5:23 וּ/מָחָ֖ה umachah HC/Vqq3ms and he shall blot out and he wiped out and shall blot out
H4229-18 Numbers 34:11 וּ/מָחָ֛ה umachah HC/Vqq3ms and reach and he wiped out and reach
H4229-23 Deuteronomy 9:14 וְ/אֶמְחֶ֣ה veemecheh HC/Vqh1cs and blot out and let me wipe out and let me wipe out
H4229-26 Deuteronomy 25:6 יִמָּחֶ֥ה yimacheh HVNi3ms will be blotted out he will be wiped out his name will be wiped out
H4229-17 Deuteronomy 25:19 תִּמְחֶה֙ timecheh HVqi2ms you shall blot out you will wipe out you will wipe out
H4229-18 Deuteronomy 29:19 וּ/מָחָ֤ה umachah HC/Vqq3ms and will blot out and he wiped out and it will wipe out
H4229-26 Judges 21:17 יִמָּחֶ֥ה yimacheh HVNi3ms be blotted out he will be wiped out it will be wiped out
H4229-04 2 Kings 14:27 לִ/מְחוֹת֙ limechot HR/Vqc to blot out to wipe out to wipe out
H4229-20 2 Kings 21:13 וּ/מָחִ֨יתִי umachiti HC/Vqq1cs and I will wipe and I wiped out and I will wipe out
H4229-28 2 Kings 21:13 יִמְחֶ֤ה yimecheh HVqi3ms wipes he will wipe out he will wipe out
H4229-05 2 Kings 21:13 מָחָ֔ה machah HVqp3ms wiping he wiped out he wiped out
H4229-11 Isaiah 25:6 מְמֻ֣חָיִ֔ם memuchayim HVPsmpa full of marrow wiped-out ones full of marrow
H4229-18 Isaiah 25:8 וּ/מָחָ֨ה umachah HC/Vqq3ms and will wipe away and he wiped out and he will wipe out
H4229-12 Isaiah 43:25 מֹחֶ֥ה mocheh HVqrmsa who blots out the one who wipes out the one who blots out
H4229-07 Isaiah 44:22 מָחִ֤יתִי machiti HVqp1cs I have blotted out I wiped out I have blotted out
H4229-14 Jeremiah 18:23 תֶּ֑מְחִי temechi HVhj2ms blot out may you wipe out wipe out
H4229-24 Ezekiel 6:6 וְ/נִמְח֖וּ venimechu HC/VNq3cp and abolished and they were wiped out and they were wiped out
H4229-06 Psalms 9:6 מָ֝חִ֗יתָ machita HVqp2ms you have blotted out you wiped out you have blotted out
H4229-09 Psalms 51:3 מְחֵ֣ה mecheh HVqv2ms blot-out Wipe out! Wipe out!
H4229-09 Psalms 51:11 מְחֵֽה mecheh HVqv2ms blot out Wipe out! Wipe out!
H4229-27 Psalms 69:29 יִ֭מָּחֽוּ yimachu HVNi3mp Let them be blotted out they will be wiped out they will be blotted out
H4229-25 Psalms 109:13 יִמַּ֥ח yimach HVNi3ms let be blotted out he will be wiped out let it be wiped out
H4229-15 Psalms 109:14 תִּמָּֽח timach HVNj3fs be blotted out may she be wiped out be blotted out
H4229-16 Proverbs 6:33 תִמָּחֶֽה timacheh HVNi3fs will-be-wiped-away she will be obliterated it will be wiped out
H4229-19 Proverbs 30:20 וּ/מָ֣חֲתָה umachatah HC/Vqq3fs and wipes and she wiped out and wipes
H4229-03 Proverbs 31:3 לַֽ/מְח֥וֹת lamechot HR/Vhc to those that destroy to wipe out to destroyers
H4229-16 Nehemiah 3:37 תִּמָּחֶ֑ה timacheh HVNj3fs be blotted out she will be obliterated it will be wiped out
H4229-13 Nehemiah 13:14 תֶּ֣מַח temach HVhj2ms blot out may you cause to wipe out blot out
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