מְחוּגָה
𐤌𐤇𐤅𐤂𐤄
mᵉchûwgâh
H4230 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A tool or instrument used for drawing or delineating a circle; by extension, the act of defining a circular boundary or perimeter. The term can refer concretely to a drawing implement (such as a compass for scribing circles) or more abstractly to the act of encircling or demarcating a space or limit.
Semantic Range
drawing instrument, compass (tool for inscribing circles), instrument for tracing or marking a circle, means of defining a circular boundary
Root / Etymology
From the root חוּג (חוּג), meaning 'to draw a circle, make a round, go in a circle.' מְחוּגָה is a feminine noun formed with the mem-prefix, denoting an instrument—here, the tool or object used for making circles.
Historical & Contextual Notes
מְחוּגָה appears only in Isaiah 44:13, where it is used within a description of a craftsman working on an idol, referencing the technical processes involved: '...he marketh it out with a line; he fiteth it with planes, and he marks it out with a compass (מְחוּגָה)...' The context is technical and artisanal, relating to precise work, rather than a geometric principle. Unlike the more abstract חוּג (circle, circuit; e.g., the 'circle of the earth' in Isaiah 40:22 or Proverbs 8:27), מְחוּגָה denotes a specific, physical implement. Later translations such as 'compass' or 'compasses' reflect a technical interpretation but do not capture the full generative sense of the term in its sole biblical attestation. The object is not described in detail, but it would be understood in context as a craftsman's tool for inscribing or measuring round forms, likely analogous to a modern compass but not identical in construction.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from חוּג; an instrument for marking a circle, i.e. compasses; compass.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
חוג (ḥ-w-g) — draw a circle, go around, encircle
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2329 | חוּג | circle-boundary of |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4230-01 |
וּ/בַ/מְּחוּגָ֖ה | uvamechugah | HC/Rd/Ncfsa |
and with a compass | and in the circle-inscribing tool | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4230-01 |
Isaiah 44:13 | וּ/בַ/מְּחוּגָ֖ה | uvamechugah | HC/Rd/Ncfsa |
and with a compass | and in the circle-inscribing tool |