מָזוֹן
𐤌𐤆𐤅𐤍
mâzôwn
H4202 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Physical sustenance; nourishment or provisions necessary to sustain life, primarily referring to consumable food. In biblical usage, מָזוֹן denotes foodstuffs in the general sense—what is eaten to satisfy hunger and support health, and occasionally extends to the broader idea of provender or supplies, especially in contexts of travel or provision for dependents.
Semantic Range
food, nourishment, provisions, supplies, sustenance, victuals
Root / Etymology
From the root זוּן (ז-ו-ן), which fundamentally means 'to provide for,' 'to feed,' or 'to sustain.' The noun מָזוֹן derives from this root, conveying the concrete product of feeding or sustaining: food, sustenance.
Historical & Contextual Notes
מָזוֹן appears infrequently in the Hebrew Bible, notably in contexts emphasizing provision—either divine or human—for basic needs, often for journeys or the maintenance of household members. Related terms such as לֶחֶם (leḥem, generally 'bread' or 'food') tend to appear more frequently, with לֶחֶם sometimes used more specifically for staple foods, while מָזוֹן has a broader sense encompassing all forms of sustenance. The meaning of מָזוֹן does not emphasize luxury or specific types of meals but highlights the idea of 'needed provisions.' Later Hebrew usage, such as in post-biblical and Rabbinic literature, preserves this sense, applying the term to essential nourishment. English translations such as 'food,' 'provisions,' or 'victuals' are adequate but may not fully reflect the nuanced distinctions between מָזוֹן and other food-related terms; some English translations render it as 'victuals' or 'meat,' but without implying specifically animal flesh.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from זוּן; food; meat, victual.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
זון (z-w-n) — to provide for, to feed, to sustain
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2109 | זוּן | sustained ones |
| H2110 | זוּן | he will sustain himself |
| H2126 | זִינָא | Nourished-one |
| H2177 | זַן | kind |
| H4203 | מָזוֹן | and food-provision |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4202-01 |
הַ/מָּז֖וֹן | hamazon | HTd/Ncmsa |
the provision | the sustenance | 1 |
H4202-02 |
וּ/מָז֛וֹן | umazon | HC/Ncmsa |
and provision | and sustenance | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4202-02 |
Genesis 45:23 | וּ/מָז֛וֹן | umazon | HC/Ncmsa |
and provision | and sustenance |
H4202-01 |
2 Chronicles 11:23 | הַ/מָּז֖וֹן | hamazon | HTd/Ncmsa |
the provision | the sustenance |