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מַטָּה

𐤌𐤈𐤄

maṭṭâh

H4295 adverb

SILEX Entry

Root נטה to stretch out, bend, incline

Definition

Downward direction, position beneath, or location under something; frequently used as an adverb, preposition, or noun to indicate physical or metaphorical position lower than a reference point. The term commonly expresses spatial relationships ('under, beneath; down below') and, less often, metaphorical hierarchy or rank ('lower, less important').

Semantic Range

down, downward, under, beneath, below, lower, underneath, towards a lower position, into a state of inferiority

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root מַטָּה (מטה), likely based on the root נָטָה (natah), meaning 'to stretch out, incline, bend,' though its morphological formation as a directional adverb/preposition is distinctive. The form contains a directive ending, indicating movement or situation towards a lower position.

Historical & Contextual Notes

מַטָּה primarily appears in prepositional and adverbial constructions to specify spatial concepts ('under the altar,' 'beneath the earth'), or movement towards a lower plane ('they descended downward'). In ritual and legal texts, it marks boundaries or conditions. The term distinguishes itself from תַּחַת (taḥat, 'under'), which may connote substitution or exchange, while מַטָּה emphasizes direction or position. In later periods, the word’s primary spatial sense remained, occasionally developing more abstract senses of inferiority or decreased status, though these are secondary and less common in the Tanakh. English translations typically render מַטָּה as 'under,' 'below,' or 'beneath'; however, they may obscure distinctions between this term and other Hebrew words for 'under,' especially where מַטָּה expresses a movement downward rather than a static position.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from עָוַר with directive enclitic appended; downward, below or beneath; often adverbially with or without prefixes; beneath, down(-ward), less, very low, under(-neath).

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

נטה (n-ṭ-h) — stretch out, bend, incline

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3194 יֻטָּה and Extended-Place
H4294 מַטֶּה in the staff
H4296 מִטָּה the stretched-out bed
H4297 מֻטֶּה bent distortion
H4298 מֻטָּה stretches of

Word Forms

4 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H4295-01 לְ/מָ֑טָּה lematah HR/D downward downward 7
H4295-03 מִ/לְּ/מַטָּה֒ milematah HR/R/D from below from below 6
H4295-04 וּ/לְ/מַ֔טָּה ulematah HC/R/D and downward and toward below 3
H4295-02 מַ֥טָּה matah HD below downward 3

Occurrences in Scripture

19 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H4295-03 Exodus 26:24 מִ/לְּ/מַטָּה֒ milematah HR/R/D from beneath from below
H4295-03 Exodus 27:5 מִ/לְּ/מָ֑טָּה milematah HR/R/D from below from below
H4295-03 Exodus 28:27 מִ/לְּ/מַ֨טָּה֙ milematah HR/R/D from below from below
H4295-03 Exodus 36:29 מִ/לְּ/מַטָּה֒ milematah HR/R/D from below from below
H4295-03 Exodus 38:4 מִ/לְּ/מַ֖טָּה milematah HR/R/D from below from below
H4295-03 Exodus 39:20 מִ/לְ/מַ֨טָּה֙ milematah HR/R/D below from below
H4295-01 Deuteronomy 28:13 לְ/מָ֑טָּה lematah HR/D downward downward
H4295-02 Deuteronomy 28:43 מַ֥טָּה matah HD lower downward
H4295-02 Deuteronomy 28:43 מָּֽטָּה matah-2 HD and lower downward
H4295-01 2 Kings 19:30 לְ/מָ֑טָּה lematah HR/D downward downward
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