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מָטַר

𐤌𐤈𐤓

mâṭar

H4305 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To send or cause rain to fall from the sky; to rain. The verb denotes the act of producing rain, either as a natural meteorological event or as an action attributed to a deity. It is used both literally and, on occasion, figuratively to describe the act of providing or bestowing in abundance, by analogy with rain.

Semantic Range

to rain (from the sky), to cause rain to fall, to send rain, to pour down rain, to bestow abundantly (figurative or poetic contexts)

Root / Etymology

Root מ-ט-ר (מָטַר), likely derived from the basic sense of 'rain' (noun: מָטָר), referring to precipitation from the sky. The verb form reflects the action of causing or sending rain.

Historical & Contextual Notes

The verb מָטַר is primarily used to denote the act of sending or causing rain, either as a straightforward meteorological occurrence or as an act attributed to a deity in ancient Israelite literature. It commonly appears in both causal and simple verbal stems (Hiphil and Qal). In the Hebrew Bible, the action is often attributed to YHWH, especially in covenantal or judgment contexts (e.g., blessing the land with rain or withholding it as punishment). The verb is distinct from יָרָה (yarah, 'to water, irrigate, shoot'), which can denote artificial watering or the act of shooting. מָטַר is never used for irrigation by human action, but for rainfall descending from above. In later (post-biblical) Hebrew, the term largely retains its original meteorological sense. Standard English translations accurately reflect the ordinary use of the verb, but may underplay its theological weight in texts where rain is an explicit expression of divine favor or displeasure. The verb rarely, but not never, carries a figurative sense of bestowing or showering (as in abundant blessings), and such usages are dependent on context. There is no significant semantic change between earlier and later biblical periods, though in the Persian and Hellenistic eras, imagery of celestial bestowal sometimes begins to take on broader symbolic nuances.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to rain; (cause to) rain (upon).

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

מטר (Materi) — to rain, to send rain, to cause rain

Root מטר to rain, to send rain, to cause rain
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4306 מָטַר the rain
H4309 מַטְרִי the Matrite

Word Forms

11 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H4305-04 מַמְטִיר֙ mametir HVhrmsa am raining rain-sending one I am causing rain 3
H4305-08 וַ/יַּמְטֵ֧ר vayameter HC/Vhw3ms and he rained and he caused to rain and he caused to rain 3
H4305-01 אַמְטִ֑יר ametir HVhi1cs I rained I will cause rain to fall I will rain 2
H4305-02 הִמְטִ֜יר himetir HVhp3ms caused to rain He sent rain had sent rain 2
H4305-03 לְ֭/הַמְטִיר lehametir HR/Vhc to cause to rain to cause rain to fall to cause rain to fall 1
H4305-05 מֵ/הַמְטִ֥יר mehametir HR/Vhc to rain to cause rain to fall to cause rain to fall 1
H4305-06 תַמְטִ֥יר tametir HVhi3fs rained she will send rain it will cause rain to fall 1
H4305-07 תִּמָּטֵ֔ר timater HVNi3fs would be rained on she will be rained upon it will be rained upon 1
H4305-09 וְ/הִמְטַרְתִּי֙ vehimetareti HC/Vhq1cs and I caused to rain and I caused rain to fall and I caused rain to fall 1
H4305-10 וְ/יַמְטֵ֥ר veyameter HC/Vhi3ms and will rain and he will cause rain to fall and he will cause rain to fall 1

Occurrences in Scripture

17 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H4305-02 Genesis 2:5 הִמְטִ֜יר himetir HVhp3ms caused to rain He sent rain had sent rain
H4305-04 Genesis 7:4 מַמְטִ֣יר mametir HVhrmsa will send rain / will cause to rain rain-sending one will cause rain
H4305-02 Genesis 19:24 הִמְטִ֧יר himetir HVhp3ms rained He sent rain He rained down
H4305-04 Exodus 9:18 מַמְטִיר֙ mametir HVhrmsa to rain down rain-sending one rain-sending one
H4305-08 Exodus 9:23 וַ/יַּמְטֵ֧ר vayameter HC/Vhw3ms And rained and he caused to rain and he caused to rain
H4305-04 Exodus 16:4 מַמְטִ֥יר mametir HVhrmsa am raining rain-sending one I am causing rain
H4305-05 Isaiah 5:6 מֵ/הַמְטִ֥יר mehametir HR/Vhc to rain to cause rain to fall to cause rain to fall
H4305-01 Ezekiel 38:22 אַמְטִ֤יר ametir HVhi1cs I-will-rain I will cause rain to fall I will rain
H4305-09 Amos 4:7 וְ/הִמְטַרְתִּי֙ vehimetareti HC/Vhq1cs and I caused to rain and I caused rain to fall and I caused rain to fall
H4305-01 Amos 4:7 אַמְטִ֑יר ametir HVhi1cs I rained I will cause rain to fall I will cause rain to fall
H4305-07 Amos 4:7 תִּמָּטֵ֔ר timater HVNi3fs would be rained on she will be rained upon it will be rained upon
H4305-06 Amos 4:7 תַמְטִ֥יר tametir HVhi3fs rained she will send rain it will cause rain to fall
H4305-11 Psalms 11:6 יַמְטֵ֥ר yameter HVhi3ms He will rain he will send rain it will rain
H4305-08 Psalms 78:24 וַ/יַּמְטֵ֬ר vayameter HC/Vhw3ms and he rained down and he caused to rain and he rained down
H4305-08 Psalms 78:27 וַ/יַּמְטֵ֬ר vayameter HC/Vhw3ms and he rained and he caused to rain and he caused to rain
H4305-10 Job 20:23 וְ/יַמְטֵ֥ר veyameter HC/Vhi3ms and will rain and he will cause rain to fall and he will cause rain to fall
H4305-03 Job 38:26 לְ֭/הַמְטִיר lehametir HR/Vhc to cause to rain to cause rain to fall to cause rain to fall
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