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מַצָּה

𐤌𐤑𐤄

matstsâh

H4683 noun

SILEX Entry

Root נצה to strive, to contend, to quarrel

Definition

A dispute or conflict, typically verbal in character; the state or act of contentious arguing, a quarrel, or a legal dispute. The term most frequently refers to interpersonal or group controversy, ranging from heated debate to formal contention in legal or communal settings.

Semantic Range

strife, quarrel, contention, debate, legal dispute, controversy

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root נצה (n-ts-h), which broadly means 'to strive, contend, dispute.' The noun form מַצָּה emerges as a nominalization—indicating the state or event of contention or strife.

Historical & Contextual Notes

מַצָּה appears in the Hebrew Bible almost exclusively in prose narrative and poetic texts to denote disputes or strife, whether between individuals (as in personal quarrels) or larger groups (such as legal disputes involving leaders or factions). The word is used primarily during the monarchic and exilic periods, often to contrast peaceful relations (שלום) with contention (מַצָּה). It can refer to both private disagreements and formalized disputes, but rarely carries connotations of physical violence. English translations (e.g., 'strife,' 'quarrel,' 'controversy') often capture the basic sense but may not reflect occasions when the term implies legal or socially significant contention. The word is related to, but distinct from, other Hebrew synonyms such as רִיב (riv), which more frequently denotes legal or forensic disputes, and מָדוֹן (madon), which often indicates ongoing hostility. Later Hebrew usage preserves the nuance of pronounced argument or contentiousness. The term does not carry later connotations of communal or liturgical meal (matzah, unleavened bread), which derives from a different root.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from נָצָה; a quarrel; contention, debate, strife.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

נצה (n-ts-h) — striving, contending, quarreling

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4695 מַצּוּת your contention
H5133 נוֹצָה with her flight-feather
H5323 נָצָא to depart
H5327 נָצָה in their laying-waste
H5328 נִצָּה her blossom

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H4683-01 מַצָּ֑ה matsah HNcfsa strife quarrel 2
H4683-02 וּ/מַצָּה֙ umatsah HC/Ncfsa and debate and a dispute 1

Occurrences in Scripture

3 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H4683-02 Isaiah 58:4 וּ/מַצָּה֙ umatsah HC/Ncfsa and debate and a dispute
H4683-01 Proverbs 13:10 מַצָּ֑ה matsah HNcfsa strife quarrel
H4683-01 Proverbs 17:19 מַצָּ֑ה matsah HNcfsa strife quarrel
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