מַטְוֶה
something spun
Definition
The Hebrew noun מַטְוֶה (maṭveh) refers to 'something spun' or 'spun thread/yarn.' It specifically denotes the product of the spinning process, the finished threads ready for weaving. The word appears only once in the Old Testament, in Exodus 35:25, describing the skilled work of women who contributed spun materials for the construction of the Tabernacle. There are no other biblical contexts where the meaning differs, as its single occurrence is clear and specific.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only in Exodus 35:25. It occurs in the context of the voluntary offerings for the Tabernacle, where skilled women spun yarn with their hands and brought what they had made—the מַטְוֶה. The usage is purely descriptive, identifying the material product of their labor within a sacred, communal project.
Etymology
מַטְוֶה is a noun derived from the root טָוָה (ṭāwâ, H2901), meaning 'to spin' thread. It is formed using the ma- prefix, common for creating nouns that indicate the place or product of an action. Thus, מַטְוֶה literally means 'the product of spinning.'
Semantic Range
While the word itself is a common noun for a material object, its single biblical occurrence in Exodus 35:25 carries theological weight. It highlights the dedicated, skillful contribution of women to the building of God's dwelling place (the Tabernacle). Understanding this Hebrew term enriches the reading by emphasizing that every detail, even spun thread, was part of the sacred work ordered by God and offered willingly by His people.
In ancient Israelite culture, spinning was primarily women's work, a domestic skill essential for producing cloth. The mention in Exodus 35:25 elevates this everyday craft to a holy service. The 'spun thread' was not just raw material but the finished product of personal skill and time, offered for a divine purpose, contrasting with modern mass-produced textiles.
חוּט (ḥûṭ, H2339) — a more general term for 'thread' or 'cord,' not specifying the spinning process. פְּתִיל (pᵉṯîl, H6616) — a 'twisted thread' or 'cord,' often used for binding, emphasizing the twisting rather than the initial spinning.
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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