מִצְחָה
𐤌𐤑𐤇𐤄
mitschâh
H4697 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A protective leg covering, specifically greaves (armor for the shin or lower leg), worn as part of a soldier’s armor. Used exclusively in the plural form to refer to a pair of shin-guards or greaves, indicating armament for the lower legs for protection in battle.
Semantic Range
greaves, shin-guards, protective leg armor, shin-piece
Root / Etymology
From the Hebrew root מצח (m-ts-ḥ), which relates to protrusion or prominence. מִצְחָה (mitschâh) is formed by adding a feminine ending to the root, likely referencing something that projects or juts out, here describing the prominent protective gear worn on the shins.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term מִצְחָה occurs only once in the Hebrew Bible (1 Samuel 17:6), in the context of describing Goliath’s armor. The word is identified with greaves, i.e., metal plates covering the lower legs, a distinctive feature of well-equipped warriors in ancient armies, though rare in Israelite warfare descriptions—reflecting Philistine or more broadly Aegean military technology. The plural form highlights that both legs are covered. The root מצח more commonly means 'forehead,' relating to a part of the body that sticks out, which is metaphoric in this case for armor that 'protrudes' from the leg. Standard translations render the term as 'greaves,' but the word refers more specifically to shin-armor rather than a generic leg covering, and its occurrence in Israelite texts marks it as a cultural import in the description of foreign arms.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from the same as מֵצַח; a shinpiece of armor (as prominent), only plural; greaves.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
מצח (m-ts-ḥ) — to protrude, to be prominent, to stick out
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4696 | מֵצַח | in his forehead |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4697-01 |
וּ/מִצְחַ֥ת | umitsechat | HC/Ncfsc |
greaves | protruding shin-guard of | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4697-01 |
1 Samuel 17:6 | וּ/מִצְחַ֥ת | umitsechat | HC/Ncfsc |
greaves | protruding shin-guard of |