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מֶתֶק

𐤌𐤕𐤒

metheq

H4986 noun

SILEX Entry

Root מתק to be sweet, to be pleasant, to be agreeable

Definition

Sweetness, pleasant taste, or agreeable quality—primarily referring to physical sweetness (as of food), but also figuratively to pleasantness or charm in speech, character, or experience. The word denotes the property of being sweet, enjoyable, or delightful in both literal and metaphorical senses. In its primary use, conveys the taste quality found in honey or other sweet food; in figurative contexts, describes speech that is charming or experiences that are enjoyable.

Semantic Range

sweetness (taste, especially of food), pleasantness, charm, agreeable quality, pleasantness of discourse, enjoyable experience

Root / Etymology

From the root מָתַק (maṭaq), which means 'to be sweet,' 'to be pleasant,' or 'to be delightful.' The noun מֶתֶק (metheq) is formed as a masculine abstract noun from this root, designating the quality or state of being sweet or pleasant. The relationship between root and noun is direct and transparent: the verb denotes action or state (to be sweet), and the noun specifies the quality (sweetness).

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, מֶתֶק occurs infrequently, with clear literal instances (as in the taste of honey, e.g., Judges 14:18, Psalm 55:15), and figurative applications (pleasantness of discourse, as in Proverbs 27:9). The semantic range embraces both physical 'sweetness' and metaphorical 'pleasantness.' The figurative usage highlights the concept of charm, pleasure, or agreeable quality, particularly regarding words or experiences. English translations often render מֶתֶק as 'sweetness,' 'pleasantness,' or 'charm,' but the English 'sweet' can obscure the broader pleasant, delightful, or charming quality captured by the Hebrew term. The word does not denote moral or ethical goodness; its primary scope is sensorial or aesthetic. Contrast is found with the root מַר (mar, 'bitter'), emphasizing a spectrum from pleasantness to unpleasantness. There is no evidence of substantive shift in the meaning from earlier to later biblical periods, though metaphorical extension to speech and abstract pleasure is more prominent in poetic and wisdom literature. The English adjective 'sweet' can sometimes introduce an anachronistically narrowed or sentimental nuance not present in ancient Hebrew usage, especially in contexts referring to relationships or experiences.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from מָתַק; figuratively, pleasantness (of discourse); sweetness.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

מתק (m-t-q) — to be sweet, to be pleasant, to be agreeable

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4477 מַמְתַּק sweet delicacies
H4966 מָתוֹק to what is sweet
H4985 מָתַק they were sweet
H4987 מֹתֶק my sweetness
H4988 מָתָק he was sweet to him

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H4986-01 וּ/מֶ֥תֶק umeteq HC/Ncmsc and sweetness and sweetness of 2

Occurrences in Scripture

2 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H4986-01 Proverbs 16:21 וּ/מֶ֥תֶק umeteq HC/Ncmsc and sweetness and sweetness of
H4986-01 Proverbs 27:9 וּ/מֶ֥תֶק umeteq HC/Ncmsc and-sweetness and sweetness of
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