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מַפָּלָה

𐤌𐤐𐤋𐤄

mappâlâh

H4654 noun

SILEX Entry

Root נפל to fall, collapse, be brought down

Definition

A collapse, downfall, or instance of falling, particularly referring to ruins or a place brought to destruction. Used in reference to the result or evidence of falling, often in the physical sense of a ruined structure or city, but contextually can refer more broadly to any fallen object or circumstance of ruin.

Semantic Range

collapse; downfall; ruin; destroyed or fallen structure; the result of falling; state of being fallen

Root / Etymology

Derived from the Hebrew root נפל (n-p-l), meaning 'to fall, to collapse, to be brought down'. The form מַפָּלָה is a feminine noun pattern typically indicating an act, event, or instance related to the root action—thus, 'the act/result/state of falling'.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, מַפָּלָה (mappâlâh) appears sparingly, most notably in contexts of destruction, such as Amos 9:11, where it refers to 'the fallen booth of David,' meaning a structure or dynasty in a state of collapse. The term is used to emphasize the state of ruin and is closely allied with the evidence or aftermath of a collapse, rather than the action of falling itself (which would be more directly rendered as נֵפֶל or נְפִילָה). English translations often render it as 'ruin' or 'fallen,' but the Hebrew word retains a connotation of both the event of falling and its resultant state. The concept is primarily physical (ruined structures, collapsed cities), but can be applied metaphorically to dynasties or collective entities. Unlike related nouns like חָרְבָּה (desolation, waste), מַפָּלָה specifically comes from the notion of 'falling' rather than 'being made desolate.' Its rarity in the Tanakh makes contextual reading important for precise interpretation.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or מַפֵּלָה; from נָפַל; something fallen, i.e. a ruin; ruin(-ous).

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

נפל (n-p-l) — to fall, collapse, be brought down

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4651 מַפָּל fallen-off fragments of
H4658 מַפֶּלֶת in their downfall
H5303 נְפִיל the fallen-giants
H5307 נָפַל I will cause to fall
H5308 נְפַל falling ones

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H4654-01 לְ/מַפֵּלָֽה lemapelah HR/Ncfsa a ruin to a collapse 2
H4654-02 מַפָּלָֽה mapalah HNcfsa of ruins collapse 1

Occurrences in Scripture

3 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H4654-02 Isaiah 17:1 מַפָּלָֽה mapalah HNcfsa of ruins collapse
H4654-01 Isaiah 23:13 לְ/מַפֵּלָֽה lemapelah HR/Ncfsa a-ruin to a collapse
H4654-01 Isaiah 25:2 לְ/מַפֵּלָ֑ה lemapelah HR/Ncfsa a ruin to a collapse
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