מֶכֶר
merchandise; also value
Definition
The Hebrew noun מֶכֶר (meker) primarily means 'merchandise' or 'goods for sale,' referring to items of commercial trade. In Numbers 20:19, it denotes the 'price' or 'value' of something, as the Israelites offer to pay for passage through Edom. In Nehemiah 13:16, it clearly means 'merchandise,' specifically the wares being sold in Jerusalem on the Sabbath. Proverbs 31:10 uses it metaphorically to describe a wife of 'excellent worth' or 'priceless value,' extending the sense beyond mere commerce to signify supreme quality.
Biblical Usage
This word appears only three times in the Old Testament, each in a distinct context. In Numbers 20:19, it is used in a diplomatic negotiation, meaning 'price.' In Nehemiah 13:16, it describes the literal 'merchandise' being traded, highlighting a conflict over Sabbath observance. In Proverbs 31:10, it is used in wisdom literature to express the incomparable value of a virtuous woman. The usage shifts from concrete commerce (Nehemiah) to abstract value (Proverbs).
Etymology
Derived from the root verb מָכַר (māḵar, H4376), meaning 'to sell' or 'to give over.' As a noun, מֶכֶר (meker) is the concrete result or object of that selling action—the goods or the price obtained. It is part of a semantic field related to trade, purchase, and economic exchange.
Semantic Range
While primarily a commercial term, its use in Proverbs 31:10 elevates it theologically. It connects the concept of material value to spiritual and moral worth, portraying the ideal wife as a treasure far surpassing any earthly merchandise. This metaphor enriches the biblical understanding of value, showing that what is most precious in God's eyes is often character and covenant faithfulness, not material wealth.
In ancient Israelite culture, trade and barter were central to the economy. 'Meker' as merchandise would have involved tangible goods like food, cloth, or pottery. The concept of a 'price' (as in Numbers 20:19) was often negotiated, not fixed. The metaphorical use in Proverbs reflects a wisdom tradition that prized household management and virtuous character as the true foundations of a family's wealth and stability.
מִקְנָה (miqneh, H4735) — livestock or property as a possession; often wealth in herds. סְחוֹרָה (səḥôrâ, H5504) — merchandise, goods for trade; a more common general term for traded wares. עֵרֶךְ (ʿēreḵ, H6187) — value, valuation, or assessment; often used in ritual or legal contexts (e.g., Leviticus 27).
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.
Full methodology & sources →