מֵאָה
a hundred; also as a multiplicative and a fraction
Definition
The Hebrew word מֵאָה (mêʼâh) is a cardinal numeral meaning 'a hundred.' It functions primarily as a number, but also has multiplicative and fractional uses. As a cardinal number, it quantifies groups of one hundred, such as in Genesis 5:3-8, where it records the ages of Adam's descendants. Multiplicatively, it can express a hundredfold increase, as seen in the concept of blessing (e.g., Genesis 26:12). Fractionally, it can denote a hundredth part, such as in Ezekiel 45:12, where it is used in a system of weights and measures.
Biblical Usage
מֵאָה appears over 500 times in the Old Testament, making it one of the most common numerals. It is used extensively in historical and legal texts for counting people (Genesis 11:10-26), years (Genesis 5), animals (Genesis 32:14), and measurements (Ezekiel 40-48). It frequently appears in round numbers for military censuses (Numbers 1, 26) and in descriptions of large quantities, such as Solomon's provisions (1 Kings 4:22-23). Its multiplicative sense is rarer but significant in contexts of blessing or judgment.
Etymology
The word מֵאָה is considered a primitive numeral in Hebrew, meaning its origin is not clearly derived from a verbal root. It may be related to the Akkadian word 'me'at,' also meaning 'hundred,' suggesting a common Semitic origin. The alternate form מֵאיָה (mêʼyâh) appears occasionally. As a basic number, its meaning has remained stable, representing the decimal unit following ninety-nine.
Semantic Range
While a numeral, מֵאָה carries theological weight in contexts of covenant, blessing, and fulfillment. God's promise to Abraham of a hundredfold blessing (implied in Genesis 12:2, 26:12) symbolizes supernatural abundance. In prophetic and apocalyptic literature, like Daniel and Revelation (drawing on Hebrew concepts), the number one hundred can represent completeness or a full measure in God's timing (e.g., the hundred years in Isaiah 65:20 as part of a renewed creation). Understanding its use highlights the biblical pattern of God working with specific, often symbolic, numbers in history.
In ancient Near Eastern culture, 'a hundred' often represented a large, complete number or a significant round figure, not always a precise count. It was used in administrative, military, and economic contexts to convey magnitude. The fractional use in measurements (Ezekiel 45:12) reflects the specific systems of weights and currency in Israel's economy. The concept of a 'hundredfold' return (Genesis 26:12) would have been understood as an exceptional, almost proverbial, level of agricultural productivity and divine favor.
אֶלֶף (ʼeleph, H505) — means 'thousand,' representing a larger round number. מָאתַיִם (māʼtayim, H3967 dual) — the dual form meaning 'two hundred.'
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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