מַחַת
𐤌𐤇𐤕
Machat
H4287 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Machath is a proper noun used as a personal name for two Israelite individuals in the Hebrew Bible. The word does not occur outside of this specific function as a name. Its meaning is likely related to erasure or wiping out, but in context, it functions solely as a personal designation rather than carrying a lexical meaning as a common noun.
Semantic Range
personal name, likely with an original meaning related to 'wiping out' or 'erasure,' but exclusively used as a designation for individuals in genealogies
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root מָחָה (machah), 'to wipe, wipe out, erase.' The formation מַחַת is likely a nominal form, although the precise morphological process is uncertain due to the rarity of the name and its exclusive use as a proper noun.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Machath appears in genealogical contexts in 1 Chronicles 6:20 (6:35 MT) and 1 Chronicles 8:35, both referring to otherwise little-known Israelites. The name does not reoccur outside of these lists, and there is no evidence it was a common personal or place name. The root מָחָה commonly means 'to wipe away' (often of tears, sin, or memory), and while the proper noun may allude to this sense symbolically, its function in biblical texts is strictly as a personal designation with no independent descriptive value. English translations often render it as 'Mahath' following the traditional transliteration; the practice of treating biblical names as having active etymological meaning in translation is not followed for this name, as contextual usage does not support it. There are no indications of later usage in Second Temple or rabbinic periods, nor is it associated with any non-Israelite individuals, territories, or objects. Contrast with similar-sounding names such as מַחֲוֶל (Mahavel) or מַחֲלַל (Mahalal), which bear different roots and meanings.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
probably from מָחָה; erasure; Machath, the name of two Israelites; Mahath.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
מחה (m-ḥ-h) — wipe, erase, blot out
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4220 | מֵחַ | fat portions |
| H4229 | מָחָה | I will wipe out |
| H4239 | מְחִי | and striking-ram of |
| H4289 | מַחְתָּה | the coal-removal pan |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4287-01 |
מַ֖חַת | machat | HNp |
Mahath | Machath | 2 |
H4287-02 |
וּ/מַ֖חַת | umachat | HC/Np |
and Mahath | and Machath | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4287-01 |
1 Chronicles 6:20 | מַ֖חַת | machat | HNp |
Mahath | Machath |
H4287-01 |
2 Chronicles 29:12 | מַ֣חַת | machat | HNp |
Mahath | Machath |
H4287-02 |
2 Chronicles 31:13 | וּ/מַ֖חַת | umachat | HC/Np |
and Mahath | and Machath |