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מַרְבִּית

𐤌𐤓𐤁𐤉𐤕

marbîyth

H4768 noun

SILEX Entry

Root רבה to be many, to become great, to multiply, to increase

Definition

An abundance or multitude; an increase in number or quantity. In financial contexts, 'increase' in the sense of profit or interest (the surplus yielded by capital or investment). The term can refer to a large number (of people or things), offspring as a form of increase, or gain/profit received through financial dealings.

Semantic Range

abundance, multitude, a great number, increase; offspring; profit, interest (monetary gain); increase as the result of multiplication

Root / Etymology

The word מַרְבִּית (marbîyth) is derived from the root רָבָה (ר-ב-ה), which means 'to be or become many, much, great.' The noun form takes on the sense of 'increase' or 'abundance' depending on context. The word reflects a process or result of increasing, whether in people, goods, or monetary value.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In pre-exilic Biblical usage (e.g., Ezekiel 22:12), מַרְבִּית is explicitly used in the context of financial transactions to denote 'interest' or 'profit'—the increase received on money or goods lent to another. This aligns with laws and prohibitions about charging interest (see Lev 25:36–37; Ezek 18:8, 13, 17). The sense of numerical or general increase is attested but less common in the biblical corpus. While translations sometimes render this as 'interest' or 'usury,' the term does not carry the later moral nuance of 'usury.' In post-biblical Hebrew, using the same root, the notions of increase and offspring broadened. The noun overlaps semantically with תַּרְבּוּת (tarbûth) and נֶשֶׁךְ (neshek; interest), though the latter specifically refers to the 'bite' or damage of interest, whereas מַרְבִּית is the result or product of increase. English translations may obscure the economic and ethical nuances present in ancient Israelite society; moreover, 'interest' in modern context may suggest legitimacy absent from the biblical perspective.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from רָבָה; a multitude; also offspring; specifically interest (on capital); greatest part, greatness, increase, multitude.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

רבה (r-b-h) — to be many, to become great, to multiply, to increase

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4766 מַרְבֶה for increase of
H4767 מִרְבָּה great increase
H697 אַרְבֶּה I will cause to multiply
H7235 רָבָה I will cause to multiply
H7236 רְבָה he made great

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H4768-01 מַרְבִּ֥ית marebit HNcfsc a majority increase of 3
H4768-03 וּ/בְ/מַרְבִּ֖ית uvemarebit HC/R/Ncfsa or for profit and in increase 1
H4768-02 מַרְבִּיתָ֔/ם marebitam HNcfsc/Sp3mp the-majority-of-them their increase 1

Occurrences in Scripture

5 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H4768-03 Leviticus 25:37 וּ/בְ/מַרְבִּ֖ית uvemarebit HC/R/Ncfsa or for profit and in increase
H4768-01 1 Samuel 2:33 מַרְבִּ֥ית marebit HNcfsc increase increase of
H4768-02 1 Chronicles 12:30 מַרְבִּיתָ֔/ם marebitam HNcfsc/Sp3mp the-majority-of-them their increase
H4768-01 2 Chronicles 9:6 מַרְבִּ֣ית marebit HNcfsc the greatness increase of
H4768-01 2 Chronicles 30:18 מַרְבִּ֣ית marebit HNcfsc a majority increase of
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