מֵ֣צַח
𐤌𐤑𐤇
mêtsach
forehead
Forehead; the front part of the head above the eyes. In extended, figurative use, it can denote the quality of being brazen, shameless, or impudent, especially when describing a person's disposition or countenance. In ritual contexts, refers specifically to the area where particular items, such as the priestly gold plate, are worn.
Exodus 28:38 · Word #3
Lexicon H4696
| Lemma | מֵצַח |
| Lemma (Paleo) | 𐤌𐤑𐤇 |
| Transliteration | mêtsach |
| Strong's | H4696 |
| Definition | Forehead; the front part of the head above the eyes. In extended, figurative use, it can denote the quality of being brazen, shameless, or impudent, especially when describing a person's disposition or countenance. In ritual contexts, refers specifically to the area where particular items, such as the priestly gold plate, are worn. |
Morphology HNcmsc
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | N — Noun — A person, place, thing, or idea |
| Subtype | c — Common — Common noun |
| Gender | m — Masculine — Masculine |
| Number | s — Singular — Singular |
| State | c — Construct — The noun is bound to the following word |
Common Translation
| Phrase | forehead |
SIBI-P1 Translation H4696-02
projecting brow of
| Morphological Notes | Noun, masculine singular, construct state. |
| Rendering Rationale | The rendering reflects the core idea of prominence or projection inherent in the root מצח, expressed anatomically as the brow/forehead. The construct state is preserved by "of," marking it as a bound relational form. |
View full lexicon entry for H4696 →
SILEX v2
SIBI-P2 (Context-Aware)
forehead of
| Same as P1 | No — adjusted for context |
| Rationale | Changed from 'projecting brow of' to 'forehead of' for clarity and accuracy; 'forehead' is the straightforward meaning in this ritual context. |