מִתְקָה
𐤌𐤕𐤒𐤄
Miteqah
H4989 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Mithqâh is a proper name designating a location mentioned in the itinerary of the Israelites during their wilderness journey (Numbers 33:28-29). The term derives from a noun form associated with 'sweetness' or 'pleasantness', but as a place name, it means 'Sweet Place' or 'Place of Sweetness.' There is no evidence in the biblical text of additional nuance or metaphorical extension beyond its function as a toponym.
Semantic Range
sweetness, pleasantness, a place characterized (possibly symbolically) as sweet (as a proper name in an Israelite itinerary)
Root / Etymology
The term מִתְקָה is formed from the Hebrew root מתק (mem-tav-qof), which carries the sense of 'to be sweet' or 'pleasant.' It is a feminine noun likely derived from מֹתֶק (motek, 'sweetness'). The word functions exclusively as a proper noun for a specific site.
Historical & Contextual Notes
מִתְקָה appears only in Numbers 33:28-29, listing a station in the wilderness during the Israelite exodus from Egypt. There is no further description of its character or exact location in biblical or extrabiblical sources. While the underlying word relates to 'sweetness,' there is no direct connection in the text to water, fruit, or other sweet things at the site, making the meaning symbolic or conventional. English translations usually transliterate the name (Mithcah, Mithkah), reflecting uncertainty about the precise nuance intended by the text. This name is only found in tribal itineraries and does not recur in later Israelite or Judean geographical or cultic tradition. Unlike other geographically descriptive names in the Hebrew Bible (e.g., Mara, which means 'bitter'), Mithqâh lacks narrative context that explains the significance of its sweetness, leaving the connotation largely lexical rather than narrative.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
feminine of מֹתֶק; sweetness; Mithkah, a place in the Desert; Mithcah.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
מתק (m-t-q) — to be sweet, pleasant, sweeten
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4477 | מַמְתַּק | sweet delicacies |
| H4966 | מָתוֹק | to what is sweet |
| H4985 | מָתַק | they were sweet |
| H4986 | מֶתֶק | and sweetness of |
| H4987 | מֹתֶק | my sweetness |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4989-02 |
מִ/מִּתְקָ֑ה | mimiteqah | HR/Np |
from Mithkah | from Sweet Place | 1 |
H4989-01 |
בְּ/מִתְקָֽה | bemiteqah | HR/Np |
at Mithkah | in Sweet Place | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4989-01 |
Numbers 33:28 | בְּ/מִתְקָֽה | bemiteqah | HR/Np |
at Mithkah | in Sweet Place |
H4989-02 |
Numbers 33:29 | מִ/מִּתְקָ֑ה | mimiteqah | HR/Np |
from Mithkah | from Sweet Place |