מַחֲמָאָה
𐤌𐤇𐤌𐤀𐤄
machămâʼâh
H4260 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A term denoting a substance made from butter or resembling butter, specifically indicating 'buttery food' or an item with a rich, creamy consistency. In figurative extension, it refers to speech that is smooth, flattering, or designed to ingratiate, drawing on the pleasant texture and taste of butter for metaphorical effect. While sometimes translated as 'flattery,' the primary sense is material and culinary, with metaphorical use in poetic and wisdom literature.
Semantic Range
butter, buttery food, something resembling butter, smoothness; figuratively: smooth speech, ingratiating words, flattery
Root / Etymology
Derived from the denominative form of חֶמְאָה (chemah, 'butter'), itself from the root חמ”א meaning 'to curdle, produce butter.' מַחֲמָאָה builds on this sense to indicate butter as a concrete substance, and by metaphorical extension, something unctuous or ingratiating.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In biblical usage, מַחֲמָאָה occurs rarely, appearing in contexts that stress either a literal sense (as a luxury or valued foodstuff, e.g., Job 20:17: 'He will not look on the streams, the rivers flowing with honey and butter') or, more commonly, a figurative sense (as in Psalm 55:22 [Eng. 21], words 'smoother than butter' indicating deceitful, ingratiating speech). The metaphor draws on the pleasurable qualities of butter to evoke a sense of charm or false pleasantness. Later translation traditions sometimes render the figurative use as 'flattery' or 'smooth words,' but the original imagery is tied to sense-experience rather than an abstract quality. This distinction is clearer in poetic literature than in narrative. The term's occurrence is limited, and its meaning should remain anchored in the culinary-metaphorical bridge, not abstracted into pure moral quality. מַחֲמָאָה does not refer to Israelite ethnoreligious or legal status and has no cultic connotation. See also חֶמְאָה (chemah, 'butter') for the culinary root. English renderings that use 'butter,' 'butteriness,' or 'smoothness' best capture both literal and figurative senses, unlike later translations that simply employ 'flattery.'
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a denominative from חֶמְאָה; something buttery (i.e. unctuous and pleasant), as (figuratively) flattery; [idiom] than butter.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
חמ"א (ḥ-m-ʾ) — to curdle, produce butter, be creamy
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4260-01 |
מַחְמָאֹ֣ת | machemaot | HNcfpc |
their portions | buttery things of | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4260-01 |
Psalms 55:22 | מַחְמָאֹ֣ת | machemaot | HNcfpc |
their portions | buttery things of |