מָתָק
a dainty, i.e. (generally) food
Definition
The Hebrew noun מָתָק (mâthâq) refers to something sweet or pleasant, specifically a dainty, delicacy, or choice food. It is derived from the root meaning 'to be sweet,' and in its sole biblical occurrence in Job 24:20, it is used metaphorically to describe the fleeting, pleasant memory of a wicked person, which is 'forgotten like a dainty.' The word carries the sense of a desirable, sweet-tasting morsel, emphasizing transience and the temporary nature of worldly pleasure when contrasted with divine judgment.
Biblical Usage
This word appears only once in the Old Testament, in the poetic book of Job. In Job 24:20, it is used in a vivid simile: 'The womb shall forget him; the worm shall feed sweetly on him; he shall be no more remembered; and wickedness shall be broken as a tree.' Here, 'feed sweetly' translates מָתָק, portraying the worm's consumption of the deceased as finding a sweet delicacy. The usage is highly metaphorical, linking physical sweetness to the idea of a pleasant memory that is utterly consumed and forgotten.
Etymology
מָתָק (mâthâq) is a noun derived from the root מָתַק (mâthaq, H4985), meaning 'to be sweet' or 'to suck sweetness.' It is related to other words expressing sweetness, such as מַתּוֹק (mattôq, H4966). The root concept is physical sweetness, which extends metaphorically to anything pleasant or desirable.
Semantic Range
Though used only once, מָתָק contributes to the Book of Job's profound exploration of human transience and divine justice. Its metaphorical use underscores the theme that the wicked, despite any temporary 'sweetness' or pleasure in life, are ultimately forgotten and consumed. This enriches the reading of Job by highlighting the contrast between ephemeral human satisfaction and the enduring reality of God's moral order.
In the ancient Near East, sweet foods like honey or dates were rare luxuries and potent symbols of pleasure and desirability. The use of מָתָק as a metaphor for memory leverages this cultural understanding—a 'sweet' memory is a cherished one. However, the verse subverts this, comparing its consumption to a worm's feeding, a stark image of complete eradication and the ultimate insignificance of the wicked before God.
מַתּוֹק (mattôq, H4966) — An adjective meaning 'sweet,' often used literally for taste. נֹעַם (no‛am, H5278) — Refers to pleasantness, delight, or beauty, often in a more abstract or spiritual sense than the physical sweetness of מָתָק.
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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