מָעוֹךְ
𐤌𐤏𐤅𐤊
Maokhe
H4582 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper name, likely meaning 'oppressed' or 'oppressor,' used in the Hebrew Bible to refer specifically to a Philistine ruler mentioned as the father of Achish, king of Gath. Rare as a personal name; concrete lexical meaning is otherwise unattested in common Hebrew vocabulary.
Semantic Range
proper name of a Philistine ruler; possibly 'oppressed,' 'oppressor' as a nominal formation, but no evidence of common noun or verb usage in the Hebrew Bible
Root / Etymology
From the root מָעַךְ (maʿakh), meaning 'to press, squeeze, oppress.' The form מָעוֹךְ (Maoch) is a personal name formed from this root, possibly as a participial or nominal formation indicating 'one who oppresses' or 'the oppressed.' The precise development of the name is unclear as it appears only in a personal name context.
Historical & Contextual Notes
מָעוֹךְ appears only as a personal name in the Hebrew Bible (1 Samuel 27:2), identifying a Philistine ruler, the father of Achish, king of Gath, during the time of David. The word itself is not used as a common noun or verb in biblical Hebrew beyond this toponymic context. The meaning 'oppressed' or 'oppressor' derives from the root, but the specific intent of the name is not explained in the text. In biblical tradition, Philistine rulers often bear non-Semitic or Semiticized names; it is uncertain whether this name reflects an authentic Philistine name or a Hebraicized form. Later translations (e.g., KJV: Maoch) simply transliterate the name. The usage does not shift across periods because it is not a common noun or concept but a single proper name.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from מָעַךְ; oppressed; Maok, a Philistine; Maoch.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
מעך (m-ʿ-k) — press, squeeze, oppress
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4600 | מָעַךְ | crushed one |
| H4601 | מַעֲכָה | Maakah (Pressed-Place) |
| H4602 | מַעֲכָתִי | the Ma‘akathite |
| H4624 | מַעֲקֶה | roof restraint-barrier |
| H62 | אָבֵל בֵּית־מֲעַכָה | Maakah |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4582-01 |
מָע֖וֹךְ | maokhe | HNp |
of Maoch | Oppressor | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4582-01 |
1 Samuel 27:2 | מָע֖וֹךְ | maokhe | HNp |
of Maoch | Oppressor |