מַקֶּבֶת
𐤌𐤒𐤁𐤕
maqqebeth
H4718 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A tool or implement used for striking or pounding, particularly a hammer; by extension and context, may refer to the action or result of striking that creates an opening, hole, or quarry, particularly in stone. The primary sense is that of an instrument intended for making perforations or for quarrying stone blocks, not merely for driving nails or similar tasks.
Semantic Range
hammer (specifically for working stone or driving tent pegs), stonemason's or quarry hammer, hole or perforation (result of striking), quarry (as a place of excavation)
Root / Etymology
From the root נקב (n-q-b), which is primarily 'to pierce, perforate, make a hole.' The noun maqqebeth derives from this root, originally denoting a means or tool of making holes—hence, in context, a hammer (especially stone-cutting or masonry varieties), but with possible extended applications depending on the type of work (e.g., quarrying, masonry).
Historical & Contextual Notes
In biblical usage, מַקֶּבֶת often refers to a stonemason’s hammer or pick, a heavy tool for quarrying or working stone (see Jeremiah 23:29; Judges 4:21). In these contexts, the reference is not to an ordinary carpenter's hammer, but to a more robust tool for breaking or shaping stone or driving tent pegs. The term may also, in some contexts, refer to the actual perforation or the quarry site itself (as a result of the tool's action), but this usage is less common. English translations often render it simply as 'hammer' or 'hole,' but the Hebrew term conveys more nuance, indicating both the tool and sometimes its function or result, dependent on context. In post-biblical Hebrew and related Semitic languages, cognates of the root have similar semantic fields focused on piercing or perforating, emphasizing continuity in core meaning.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from נָקַב; properly, a perforator, i.e. a hammer (as piercing); also (intransitively) a perforation, i.e. a quarry; hammer, hole.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
נקב (n-q-b) — pierce, perforate, make a hole
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4717 | מַקָּבָה | and piercing-hammers |
| H5344 | נָקַב | in his piercing |
| H5345 | נֶקֶב | and your pierced-sockets |
| H5346 | נֶקֶב | the Pierced-Pass |
| H5347 | נְקֵבָה | to the female |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4718-01 |
הַ/מַּקֶּ֣בֶת | hamaqevet | HTd/Ncfsa |
the hammer | the piercing-hammer | 1 |
H4718-02 |
מַקֶּ֥בֶת | maqevet | HNcfsc |
the quarry | piercing hammer of | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4718-01 |
Judges 4:21 | הַ/מַּקֶּ֣בֶת | hamaqevet | HTd/Ncfsa |
the hammer | the piercing-hammer |
H4718-02 |
Isaiah 51:1 | מַקֶּ֥בֶת | maqevet | HNcfsc |
the quarry | piercing hammer of |