מָצָה
to suck out; by implication, to drain, to squeeze out
Definition
The Hebrew verb מָצָה (mâtsâh) primarily means to suck out or drain a liquid. It describes the physical action of extracting moisture, often with force or thoroughness. In Leviticus 1:15 and 5:9, it refers to the priest wringing out the blood from a bird's neck during a sacrificial ritual. In a metaphorical sense, it depicts the idea of being completely drained or forced to drink something to the dregs, as seen in Psalm 75:8 and Isaiah 51:17, where God's wrath is portrayed as a cup that must be fully consumed.
Biblical Usage
This verb is used seven times in the Old Testament, primarily in ritual and poetic contexts. In the legal texts of Leviticus (1:15, 5:9), it describes a specific priestly action in the bird-offering ritual. In poetic and prophetic books, it is used metaphorically. For example, in Judges 6:38, Gideon wrings dew from a fleece. In Psalms and prophetic books like Isaiah and Ezekiel, it describes the forceful drinking of a cup of wrath (Psalm 75:8, Isaiah 51:17, Ezekiel 23:34) or the draining of God's people (Psalm 73:10).
Etymology
מָצָה is a primitive root. Its core meaning relates to extracting liquid by suction or pressure. Cognates in other Semitic languages support the sense of 'sucking' or 'draining.' The development from a concrete physical action to a metaphor for complete consumption or judgment is a natural semantic extension within biblical Hebrew.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it connects ritual purity with divine judgment. In Leviticus, the act of wringing out blood is part of atonement, handling the 'life' (Leviticus 17:11) in a prescribed way. In the prophets and wisdom literature, the metaphor of draining a cup becomes a powerful image for experiencing the full, often devastating, consequences of God's judgment (Isaiah 51:17, Ezekiel 23:34). Understanding this verb enriches the reading of both ritual texts and prophetic warnings, showing a link between physical ritual actions and spiritual realities.
In its ritual use in Leviticus, the action reflects the meticulous care required in handling blood, which was culturally and religiously understood as representing life itself. The metaphor of drinking a cup to the dregs would be immediately understood in an ancient Near Eastern context as depicting the inescapable and total consumption of a fate, whether of blessing or, more commonly, of wrath.
שָׁאַב (shāʼab, H7579) — to draw (water), typically from a well, less forceful. מָצַץ (mātsats, H4682) — to suck, often used for nursing infants, less about draining completely. עָשַׁק (ʻāshaq, H6231) — to oppress or crush, can overlap in the sense of pressing/draining metaphorically, but is broader.
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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