מָגַן
𐤌𐤂𐤍
mâgan
H4042 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To shield or protect; to act as a defensive barrier. In some contexts, to deliver from danger or harm; to hand over or surrender (rare and context-dependent).
Semantic Range
to act as a shield, to protect from harm, to deliver from danger (rare/figurative), to hand over or surrender (rare/later usage)
Root / Etymology
Denominative verb from the noun מָגֵן (māgēn), meaning 'shield' or 'protective device.' The root מגן derives from the basic Semitic root meaning 'to cover, protect.' As a verb, מָגַן primarily embodies the action associated with the use of a shield.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The verb מָגַן is extremely rare in the Hebrew Bible, with almost all occurrences stemming from late biblical and post-biblical periods; the noun (מָגֵן) is far more common and central to biblical description, especially in martial contexts. As a verb, its primary usage is to denote protection, as by a shield, either in a literal or metaphoric sense (e.g., God as a protector or defender). In some rare contexts—especially post-biblical—'to surrender' or 'hand over' appears as a derived meaning, likely from the idea of relinquishing a person into someone else's protective custody or power. The sense of 'deliver' or 'rescue' is a figurative extension, not the primary semantic force. English translations may obscure the word’s precise sense by rendering it according to context ('protect,' 'deliver,' 'hand over'), but the underlying action is always related to the concept of shielding or securing, not general deliverance. The verb's late and limited occurrence shows that, in biblical Hebrew, other verbs were preferred for 'deliver' and 'rescue,' such as נצל (natsal) and פלט (palat).
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a denominative from מָגֵן; properly, to shield; encompass with; figuratively, to rescue, to hand safely over (i.e. surrender); deliver.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
מגן (m-g-n) — to shield, to protect, to cover
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4044 | מְגִנָּה | covering-blindness of |
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4042-01 |
אֲמַגֶּנְ/ךָ֙ | amagenekha | HVpi1cs/Sp2ms |
surrender you | I will shield you | 1 |
H4042-02 |
מִגֵּ֥ן | migen | HVpp3ms |
has delivered | he has shielded | 1 |
H4042-03 |
תְּמַגְּנֶֽ/ךָּ | temagenekha | HVpi3fs/Sp2ms |
she will present you with | she will shield you | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4042-02 |
Genesis 14:20 | מִגֵּ֥ן | migen | HVpp3ms |
has delivered | he has shielded |
H4042-01 |
Hosea 11:8 | אֲמַגֶּנְ/ךָ֙ | amagenekha | HVpi1cs/Sp2ms |
surrender you | I will shield you |
H4042-03 |
Proverbs 4:9 | תְּמַגְּנֶֽ/ךָּ | temagenekha | HVpi3fs/Sp2ms |
she will present you with | she will shield you |