מַגְפִּיעָשׁ
𐤌𐤂𐤐𐤉𐤏𐤔
Magepiash
H4047 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Magpiash, a proper name designating an Israelite leader involved in the post-exilic return and communal covenant renewal in Yehud (the province of Judah). While the name may suggest a sense relating to striking, attacking, or afflicting—possibly with reference to an insect pest (moth)—its exact lexical nuance is uncertain and functions primarily as a personal name in biblical usage.
Semantic Range
proper personal name (Israelite leader in the early Persian period); possible sense of 'one who strikes or destroys moths' (inferred from suggested roots but not attested as a common noun); no attested usage outside list of personal names
Root / Etymology
Compound formation, possibly from the roots נָגַף (nagaph, 'to strike, smite, attack'), or less likely גּוּף (guph, obscure), combined with עָשׁ (ʿash, 'moth'). The name formation may reflect an epithet or characteristic assigned to the individual or their lineage, but the precise etymology and reason for the combination remain uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Magpiash appears only in post-exilic lists of returnees and covenant signatories (Nehemiah 7:7; 10:21) and refers to a specific individual or family group from the early Persian period. The name is not found in earlier Israelite genealogies. Its structure follows the pattern of Hebrew hypocoristic or descriptive names formed from verbal or nominal roots but does not appear elsewhere as a common noun. English translations simply transliterate the name as 'Magpiash'; rabbinic, medieval, and modern sources generally preserve the transliteration due to lack of consensus about its meaning. The possible reference to a 'moth exterminator' reflects a folk etymology built on tenuous root associations, and this should be regarded as speculative.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
apparently from גּוּף or נָגַף and עָשׁ; exterminator of (the) moth; Magpiash, an Israelite; Magpiash.
Bantu Hebrew
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נגף־עשׁ (n-g-p ʿ-š) — to strike, smite, attack; moth
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4047-01 |
מַגְפִּיעָ֥שׁ | magepiash | HNp |
Magpiash | Moth-Striker | Magepiash | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4047-01 |
Nehemiah 10:21 | מַגְפִּיעָ֥שׁ | magepiash | HNp |
Magpiash | Moth-Striker | Magepiash |