מַכְתֵּשׁ
a mortar; by analogy, a socket (of a tooth)
Definition
The Hebrew noun מַכְתֵּשׁ (maktêsh) primarily refers to a mortar, a bowl-shaped vessel used for pounding or grinding substances with a pestle. In Proverbs 27:22, it is used literally: 'Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain, yet his folly will not depart from him.' By analogy, the word can also denote a hollow place or socket, as seen in Judges 15:19, where God splits a 'hollow place' (likely a depression or basin) in Lehi so water flows out for Samson. This dual meaning connects the concrete object (mortar) to a natural geological feature.
Biblical Usage
This word occurs only twice in the Old Testament, in two distinct contexts. In Proverbs 27:22, it is used in a wisdom saying, employing the literal image of a mortar to illustrate the stubborn nature of folly. In Judges 15:19, it describes a geographical feature—a hollow place or basin in the rock at Lehi, from which water miraculously springs. The usage shows a movement from a common household tool to a metaphor for a natural cavity, highlighting the word's semantic range.
Etymology
מַכְתֵּשׁ derives from the root כָּתַשׁ (kathash, H3806), meaning 'to pound, beat, or crush.' The noun form denotes an instrument or place associated with that action. Cognates appear in other Semitic languages with similar meanings related to grinding or hollows. The development from the action ('to crush') to the tool ('mortar') and then to a natural 'hollow place' is a clear example of semantic extension based on shared shape and function.
Semantic Range
While not a central theological term, מַכְתֵּשׁ enriches understanding in its contexts. In Proverbs 27:22, the mortar becomes a powerful metaphor for the limits of human effort to change a fool's character, underscoring the depth of human sin and the need for divine transformation. In Judges 15:19, the 'hollow place' is the site of God's provision for Samson in his desperation, illustrating God's grace meeting human need in a tangible, physical way. The word subtly connects human industry (the mortar) and divine provision (the hollow).
In ancient Israel, a mortar (מַכְתֵּשׁ) was a common, essential household tool, typically made of stone or wood, used daily for preparing food by grinding grain, herbs, or spices. Understanding this makes the proverb in Proverbs 27:22 vivid: just as grain is physically crushed yet remains grain, a fool's nature persists despite external pressure. The geological sense in Judges reflects the rocky terrain of Judah, where natural rock basins could collect water, making God's supernatural provision there all the more striking.
מְדֹכָה (medokhah, H4385) — a mortar or crushing instrument; often used in parallel or similar contexts for grinding. כִּי (kiy, H3588) — a general term for a vessel or utensil, much broader in meaning. שֵׁן (shen, H8127) — tooth; relevant as מַכְתֵּשׁ can mean 'socket of a tooth,' linking to the hollow aspect.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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