מַפְתֵּחַ
𐤌𐤐𐤕𐤇
maphtêach
H4668 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A device or instrument used to open something that is locked or secured, chiefly referring to a key used to unlock doors, gates, or other closures. In rare instances, it may metaphorically indicate authority to open or grant access. The semantic range centers primarily around the literal object but can extend to symbolic uses representing permission or authority.
Semantic Range
key for a physical lock, opener of a door, instrument for unlocking, symbolic authority to open, emblem of administrative power
Root / Etymology
From the root פתח (p-t-ch), meaning 'to open.' מַפְתֵּחַ is a tool noun, designating something that opens, thus 'an opener,' functioning as a key.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term appears infrequently in the Hebrew Bible, most notably in Isaiah 22:22 and Judges 3:25. In ancient Israelite society, locks and keys were primarily associated with doors to homes, storerooms, or city gates. The key was often a physical object, sometimes of wood or metal, inserted to move a bolt. The symbolic employment of מַפְתֵּחַ as representing authority—such as in Isaiah 22:22, where it signifies the authority to grant or deny access—marks it as a potent symbol in royal or administrative contexts. Standard English translations render it as 'key,' generally capturing the literal sense but sometimes missing metaphorical or administrative nuances. The concept of a key as an emblem of authority appears again in post-biblical literature, whereby 'holding the key' comes to mean holding administrative power or responsibility.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from פָּתַח; an opener, i.e. a key; key.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
פתח (Yefet) — to open, be spacious, make wide, expand
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3315 | יֶפֶת | to Yepheth |
| H3316 | יִפְתָּח | to He-Will-Open |
| H4669 | מִפְתָּח | the opening |
| H5318 | נֶפְתּוֹחַ | Opening-Spring |
| H6596 | פֹּת | their intimate opening |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4668-01 |
הַ/מַּפְתֵּ֨חַ֙ | hamafetecha | HTd/Ncmsa |
the key | the opener | the key | 1 |
H4668-02 |
מַפְתֵּ֥חַ | mafetecha | HNcmsc |
the key | opener of | key of | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4668-01 |
Judges 3:25 | הַ/מַּפְתֵּ֨חַ֙ | hamafetecha | HTd/Ncmsa |
the key | the opener | the key |
H4668-02 |
Isaiah 22:22 | מַפְתֵּ֥חַ | mafetecha | HNcmsc |
the key | opener of | key of |