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מָתַק

𐤌𐤕𐤒

mâthaq

H4985 verb

SILEX Entry

Root מתק to be sweet, to become sweet, to taste sweet

Definition

To be or become sweet, pleasant, or enjoyable, especially in taste, but also figuratively in speech, character, or experience. The verb is primarily used to describe the quality of being sweet, delightful, or pleasing, generally in relation to food or drink, but also extending to speech and other experiences perceived as pleasant or agreeable.

Semantic Range

to be sweet (in taste), to become sweet, to be pleasant or delightful (figuratively, of speech, deed, or experience), to give enjoyment, to relish (transitive sense less common); sweetness as a physical taste or a metaphor for pleasure or delight

Root / Etymology

Root מ-ת-ק (מתק), meaning 'to be sweet.' The verb מָתַק is the Qal (simple active) form derived directly from this root, indicating a quality or state of 'being sweet' or 'becoming sweet.' The root is attested in various Semitic languages with similar meanings related to sweetness or pleasantness. There is no evidence for the development of a substantially different meaning at the root level.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In Biblical Hebrew, מָתַק appears infrequently and is consistently associated with literal or figurative sweetness. Its most common use is to describe the sweet taste of food or drink (e.g., honey, wine), but it can also be applied metaphorically to speech (pleasing words), actions, or situations (a pleasant or desirable outcome). In later phases of Hebrew (e.g., post-biblical literature), the root continues to be linked with sweetness and pleasantness, but also develops broader metaphorical uses (such as sweetness of life or character). In contrast to related roots such as טוֹב (to be good) or עָרֵב (to be pleasant), מָתַק is more narrowly focused on the idea of sweetness and the pleasure derived therefrom. Standard English translations often render the verb as 'to be sweet,' but this can obscure the broader metaphorical uses in biblical contexts. The language distinguishes 'sweetness' (pleasantness that gives enjoyment) from simple 'goodness' (intrinsic value, benefit) or 'pleasantness' in a more general sense. The usage does not undergo significant shifts over biblical history, though the metaphorical applications become more frequent in later texts.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to suck, by implication, to relish, or (intransitively) be sweet; be (made, [idiom] take) sweet.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

מתק (m-t-q) — sweetness, pleasantness, delight

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4477 מַמְתַּק sweet delicacies
H4966 מָתוֹק to what is sweet
H4986 מֶתֶק and sweetness of
H4987 מֹתֶק my sweetness
H4988 מָתָק he was sweet to him

Word Forms

5 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H4985-02 נַמְתִּ֣יק nametiq HVhi1cp we have been sweet we will make sweet 1
H4985-01 מָֽתְקוּ matequ HVqp3cp are sweet they were sweet 1
H4985-05 יִמְתָּ֑קוּ yimetaqu HVqi3mp are sweet they will be sweet 1
H4985-03 תַּמְתִּ֣יק tametiq HVhi3fs he sweetens she causes to be sweet 1
H4985-04 וַֽ/יִּמְתְּק֖וּ vayimetequ HC/Vqw3mp and became sweet and they became sweet 1

Occurrences in Scripture

5 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H4985-04 Exodus 15:25 וַֽ/יִּמְתְּק֖וּ vayimetequ HC/Vqw3mp and became sweet and they became sweet
H4985-02 Psalms 55:15 נַמְתִּ֣יק nametiq HVhi1cp we have been sweet we will make sweet
H4985-05 Proverbs 9:17 יִמְתָּ֑קוּ yimetaqu HVqi3mp are sweet they will be sweet
H4985-03 Job 20:12 תַּמְתִּ֣יק tametiq HVhi3fs he sweetens she causes to be sweet
H4985-01 Job 21:33 מָֽתְקוּ matequ HVqp3cp are sweet they were sweet
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