מִכְתָּם
𐤌𐤊𐤕𐤌
miktâm
H4387 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
An inscription, poetic composition, or liturgical text; used in the headings of select psalms, possibly indicating a particular literary or liturgical genre associated with inscription or written composition.
Semantic Range
inscription, written composition, engraved text, poem (as a technical term in Psalm headings); possibly a liturgical or memorial text
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root כת״ם (k-t-m), which means 'to inscribe, engrave, or mark.' מִכְתָּם is likely a noun formation indicating something that is written, inscribed, or engraved; exact derivation and precise original sense remain debated. In biblical usage, it refers to the title of certain psalms, but its function and meaning as a technical term are unresolved.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term מִכְתָּם appears only in the superscriptions of six psalms attributed to David (Psalms 16, 56–60), where it likely marks a particular style, musical setting, or liturgical use—possibly a composition intended for inscription or public display. Comparable ANE (Ancient Near Eastern) inscriptions sometimes use similar nouns for dedicatory or memorial texts. The sense of 'poem' or 'hymn' is a later interpretive translation; in the Israelite period, the precise nuance is uncertain. English translations usually retain 'Michtam' as a transliterated title because its function is not transparently understood. Some traditions rendered it as 'golden' or 'precious', connecting it to the noun כֶּתֶם (ketem, 'gold'), but this is likely a folk etymology and not linguistically precise. Over time, the term's original significance was lost, but within the Psalms’ structure, it likely indicated a distinctive liturgical, ritual, or literary function. Distinct from standard terms for psalm (מִזְמוֹר, מַשְׂכִּיל), מִכְתָּם may have signaled a different purpose or setting in ancient Israelite worship or literature. No evidence suggests that it marked ethnic or geographic identity. Its restricted use in Psalm superscriptions likely reflects post-exilic editorial tradition referencing earlier compositions.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from כָּתַם; an engraving, i.e. (techn.) a poem; Michtam.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
כתם (k-t-m) — inscribe, engrave, write, mark
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4387-01 |
מִכְתָּ֥ם | mikhetam | HNcmsa |
A Mikhtam | inscribed composition | 6 |
Occurrences in Scripture
6 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4387-01 |
Psalms 16:1 | מִכְתָּ֥ם | mikhetam | HNcmsa |
A Miktam | inscribed composition |
H4387-01 |
Psalms 56:1 | מִכְתָּ֑ם | mikhetam | HNcmsa |
a michtam | inscribed composition |
H4387-01 |
Psalms 57:1 | מִכְתָּ֑ם | mikhetam | HNcmsa |
A Michtam | inscribed composition |
H4387-01 |
Psalms 58:1 | מִכְתָּֽם | mikhetam | HNcmsa |
A Mikhtam | inscribed composition |
H4387-01 |
Psalms 59:1 | מִ֫כְתָּ֥ם | mikhetam | HNcmsa |
A Miktam | inscribed composition |
H4387-01 |
Psalms 60:1 | מִכְתָּ֖ם | mikhetam | HNcmsa |
A Mikhtam | inscribed composition |