מְחִי
𐤌𐤇𐤉
mᵉchîy
H4239 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
An implement or apparatus used for striking, particularly a battering-ram or siege engine employed in breaching fortified city walls. While the primary sense relates to a tool for pounding or striking, the term can refer more broadly to mechanical devices used in siege warfare. The semantic range overlaps with instruments designed for destruction or attack during a siege.
Semantic Range
battering-ram, siege engine, striking device, apparatus for breaching walls
Root / Etymology
Root is מָחָה (machah), meaning 'to strike, wipe out, efface.' The noun מְחִי derives from this verb root and denotes an instrument that strikes or wipes away in a forceful manner, specifically referencing devices such as battering-rams in siege contexts.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, מְחִי occurs in the context of siege warfare, referring to the mechanical rams used by attacking armies to break through the defenses of fortified cities. Compared to more general terms for 'weapons' or 'tools,' מְחִי is specialized and technical in nature, found in passages such as Ezekiel 26:9 describing the military technology of the ancient Near East. The term's meaning remained constant from monarchic to post-exilic periods, always associated with siegecraft. English translations such as 'battering-ram' or 'engine' capture the concept but may obscure the specifically destructive, mechanical aspect prominent in Hebrew usage. Distinct from related Hebrew terms like כְּלִי ('implement, vessel'), which is broader, or חָרֵב ('sword'), which is a weapon for close combat rather than a siege device. In some later translation traditions, the concept was expanded or generalized as 'engine of war.' The Greek translation in the Septuagint and later English usage as 'engine' reflects historical technological developments but the Hebrew retains a more direct physical connotation of 'striking' or 'smashing.'
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from מָחָה; a stroke, i.e. battering-ram; engines.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
מחה (m-ḥ-h) — to strike, wipe out, efface
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4220 | מֵחַ | fat portions |
| H4229 | מָחָה | I will wipe out |
| H4287 | מַחַת | Machath |
| H4289 | מַחְתָּה | the coal-removal pan |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4239-01 |
וּ/מְחִ֣י | umechi | HC/Ncmsc |
and-his-battering-ram | and striking-ram of | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4239-01 |
Ezekiel 26:9 | וּ/מְחִ֣י | umechi | HC/Ncmsc |
and-his-battering-ram | and striking-ram of |