Bible Word Study
מֶתֶג הָאַמָּה
Metheg hâ-ʼAmmâh · Metheg-ha-Ammah, an epithet of Gath
מֶתֶג הָאַמָּה
Metheg-ha-Ammah, an epithet of Gath
Definition
Metheg-ha-Ammah is a proper noun used as an epithet for the Philistine city of Gath, meaning 'the bridle of the metropolis' or 'the bit of the mother city.' It appears only in 2 Samuel 8:1, where David captures 'Metheg-ha-Ammah out of the hand of the Philistines.' This likely refers to Gath, a major Philistine stronghold, symbolizing David's assertion of control over a key city that had previously dominated or 'bridled' the region. The term emphasizes Gath's former power and its subjugation under David's expanding kingdom.
Biblical Usage
This term is used only once in the Old Testament, in 2 Samuel 8:1, within a summary of David's military victories. The context is David consolidating his kingdom by defeating surrounding enemies, including the Philistines. The specific mention of Metheg-ha-Ammah highlights the capture of a politically significant Philistine center, marking a shift in regional power from Philistine to Israelite control.
Etymology
Derived from the Hebrew מֶתֶג (metheg, H4964), meaning 'bridle' or 'bit' (for controlling an animal), and אַמָּה (ʼammah, H520), meaning 'cubit' but also 'mother' or 'metropolis' in a figurative sense. The definite article (הַ) is interposed, yielding 'the bridle of the metropolis.' The phrase metaphorically depicts a city that exercised controlling influence over a region, much like a bridle controls a horse.
Semantic Range
This term theologically underscores God's fulfillment of His covenant promises to David, granting him victory over Israel's enemies (2 Samuel 7:9-11). The capture of Metheg-ha-Ammah symbolizes God's power to subdue oppressive forces and establish His chosen king's dominion. Understanding this Hebrew epithet enriches reading by highlighting the symbolic language of control and reversal—David seizing the very 'bridle' that once restrained Israel. In the ancient Near East, major cities often exerted political and military control over surrounding towns and villages, acting as a 'mother city' or metropolis. The metaphor of a 'bridle' reflects a common cultural understanding of dominance and submission. Capturing such a city meant not just a military win but taking over its sphere of influence, which David's action achieved, altering the geopolitical landscape in favor of Israel. Gath (Gath, H1661) — The actual Philistine city name, whereas Metheg-ha-Ammah is a descriptive epithet emphasizing its controlling role.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]