מָצָא
𐤌𐤑𐤀
mâtsâʼ
H4672 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To find, encounter, come across, or attain; to meet with (a person, object, circumstance, or result), either through search, chance, or providence. Also conveys the sense of being discovered, appearing, or being present/available. Depending on context, encompasses both literal discovery or acquisition and figurative senses such as being able, sufficing, or occurrence (an event befalling someone).
Semantic Range
to find, to come upon, to encounter (person/object/situation), to attain/acquire, to meet, to be discovered, to be present/available, to occur (befall/happen), to suffice/be enough, to deliver up, to cause to come to hand, to befall, to obtain
Root / Etymology
From the root מ-צ-א (מצא), which in its basic sense means 'to find' or 'to come upon.' The verb מָצָא is a standard verb (qal, also occurring in other stems) built directly from this root, with its various conjugations reflecting different voices or nuances.
Historical & Contextual Notes
מָצָא is a common verb throughout biblical Hebrew. In narrative contexts, it typically refers to physically coming upon or discovering persons, places, or objects (e.g., Genesis 2:20; 37:15). In legal, prophetic, and wisdom literature, it expands to abstract uses, such as encountering circumstances, attaining favor, or experiencing outcomes (Ruth 2:2; Proverbs 8:35). The difference from related terms such as גִּלָּה (to uncover, reveal) is that מָצָא focuses on the event of coming upon or discovering, not on the removal of a covering. English 'find' overlaps but sometimes lacks the nuance of unexpected encounter or the result of searching. Some idioms employ מָצָא with prepositions (e.g., מָצָא חֵן 'to find favor') to convey evaluation or experience. Over time and in later Hebrew, some of its usages expand especially in abstract senses. In post-exilic contexts, still regularly retains both the literal and figurative nuances, and later translations or Jewish interpretive traditions sometimes render with 'to be able' or 'to suffice' (reflecting the concept of something being 'found' as available or adequate).
Translation Consistency
“Find” is the most natural, common English verb that covers the full SILEX range of מָצָא: literal discovery/encounter, attaining/receiving, being found or present, and many figurative senses (occurrence, sufficing, coming to hand). It is both frequent in the P2 renderings and flexible enough to work in active, passive, and idiomatic contexts, maximizing consistency across all forms.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or acquire; figuratively, to occur, meet or be present; [phrase] be able, befall, being, catch, [idiom] certainly, (cause to) come (on, to, to hand), deliver, be enough (cause to) find(-ing, occasion, out), get (hold upon), [idiom] have (here), be here, hit, be left, light (up-) on, meet (with), [idiom] occasion serve, (be) present, ready, speed, suffice, take hold on.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
מְצָא (mâtsâʼ) — to find, to discover, to encounter, to come upon
Word Forms
119 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4672-27 |
מָצָ֔אתִי | matsati | HVqp1cs |
I have found | I found | I found | 40 |
H4672-53 |
נִמְצָא | nimetsa | HVNp3ms |
was found | was found | was found | 27 |
H4672-23 |
מָצָ֣א | matsa | HVqp3ms |
found | he found | he found | 25 |
H4672-108 |
יִמָּ֣צֵא | yimatse | HVNi3ms |
is found | he will be found | he will be found | 25 |
H4672-08 |
הַ/נִּמְצָ֣א | hanimetsa | HTd/VNrmsa |
that was found | the one being found | the one being found | 22 |
H4672-64 |
תִּמְצָ֧א | timetsa | HVqj3fs |
you find | you will find | you will find | 20 |
H4672-110 |
יִמְצָ֥א | yimetsa | HVqi3ms |
finds | he finds | he finds | 17 |
H4672-94 |
וַ/יִּמְצָא֙ | vayimetsa | HC/Vqw3ms |
and found | and he found | and he found | 16 |
H4672-03 |
אֶמְצָ֥א | emetsa | HVqi1cs |
I find | I will find | I will find | 15 |
H4672-58 |
נִמְצְאוּ | nimetseu | HVNp3cp |
were found | they were found | they were found | 14 |
Occurrences in Scripture
457 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4672-23 |
Genesis 2:20 | מָצָ֥א | matsa | HVqp3ms |
was found | he found | he found |
H4672-49 |
Genesis 4:14 | מֹצְאִ֖/י | motsei | HVqrmsc/Sp1cs |
finds me | the one finding me | the one finding me |
H4672-50 |
Genesis 4:15 | מֹצְאֽ/וֹ | motseo | HVqrmsc/Sp3ms |
finding him | finding him | finding him |
H4672-23 |
Genesis 6:8 | מָ֥צָא | matsa | HVqp3ms |
found | he found | he found |
H4672-29 |
Genesis 8:9 | מָצְאָה֩ | matseah | HVqp3fs |
found | she found | she found |
H4672-99 |
Genesis 11:2 | וַֽ/יִּמְצְא֥וּ | vayimetseu | HC/Vqw3mp |
that they found | and they found | and they found |
H4672-95 |
Genesis 16:7 | וַֽ/יִּמְצָאָ֞/הּ | vayimetsaah | HC/Vqw3ms/Sp3fs |
found her | and he found her | and he found her |
H4672-27 |
Genesis 18:3 | מָצָ֤אתִי | matsati | HVqp1cs |
I have found | I found | I found |
H4672-03 |
Genesis 18:26 | אֶמְצָ֥א | emetsa | HVqi1cs |
I find | I will find | I will find |
H4672-03 |
Genesis 18:28 | אֶמְצָ֣א | emetsa | HVqi1cs |
I find | I will find | I will find |
H4672-109 |
Genesis 18:29 | יִמָּצְא֥וּ/ן | yimatseun | HVNi3mp/Sn |
will be found | they will be found | they will be found |
H4672-109 |
Genesis 18:30 | יִמָּצְא֥וּ/ן | yimatseun | HVNi3mp/Sn |
are found | they will be found | they will be found |
H4672-03 |
Genesis 18:30 | אֶמְצָ֥א | emetsa | HVqi1cs |
I find | I will find | I will find |
H4672-109 |
Genesis 18:31 | יִמָּצְא֥וּ/ן | yimatseun | HVNi3mp/Sn |
are found | they will be found | they will be found |
H4672-109 |
Genesis 18:32 | יִמָּצְא֥וּ/ן | yimatseun | HVNi3mp/Sn |
are found | they will be found | they will be found |
H4672-21 |
Genesis 19:11 | לִ/מְצֹ֥א | limetso | HR/Vqc |
to find | to find | to find |
H4672-11 |
Genesis 19:15 | הַ/נִּמְצָאֹ֔ת | hanimetsaot | HTd/VNrfpa |
who are here | the ones being found | the ones being found |
H4672-23 |
Genesis 19:19 | מָצָ֨א | matsa | HVqp3ms |
has found | he found | your servant has found |
H4672-94 |
Genesis 26:12 | וַ/יִּמְצָ֛א | vayimetsa | HC/Vqw3ms |
and reaped | and he found | and he found |
H4672-99 |
Genesis 26:19 | וַ/יִּ֨מְצְאוּ | vayimetseu | HC/Vqw3mp |
and they found | and they found | and they found |
H4672-24 |
Genesis 26:32 | מָצָ֥אנוּ | matsanu | HVqp1cp |
we have found | we have found | we have found |
H4672-21 |
Genesis 27:20 | לִ/מְצֹ֖א | limetso | HR/Vqc |
to find | to find | to find |
H4672-94 |
Genesis 30:14 | וַ/יִּמְצָ֤א | vayimetsa | HC/Vqw3ms |
and found | and he found | and he found |
H4672-27 |
Genesis 30:27 | מָצָ֥אתִי | matsati | HVqp1cs |
I have found | I found | I found |
H4672-64 |
Genesis 31:32 | תִּמְצָ֣א | timetsa | HVqi2ms |
you find | you will find | you will find |
H4672-23 |
Genesis 31:33 | מָצָ֑א | matsa | HVqp3ms |
he found | he found | he found |
H4672-23 |
Genesis 31:34 | מָצָֽא | matsa | HVqp3ms |
he found | he found | he found |
H4672-23 |
Genesis 31:35 | מָצָ֖א | matsa | HVqp3ms |
found | he found | he found |
H4672-26 |
Genesis 31:37 | מָּצָ֨אתָ֙ | matsata | HVqp2ms |
have you found | you found | you found |
H4672-21 |
Genesis 32:6 | לִ/מְצֹא | limetso | HR/Vqc |
to find | to find | to find |
H4672-02 |
Genesis 32:20 | בְּ/מֹצַאֲ/כֶ֖ם | bemotsaakhem | HR/Vqc/Sp2mp |
when-you-find-him | in your finding | in your finding |
H4672-21 |
Genesis 33:8 | לִ/מְצֹא | limetso | HR/Vqc |
To find | to find | to find |
H4672-27 |
Genesis 33:10 | מָצָ֤אתִי | matsati | HVqp1cs |
I have found | I found | I found |
H4672-03 |
Genesis 33:15 | אֶמְצָא | emetsa | HVqh1cs |
let me find | I will find | I will find |
H4672-03 |
Genesis 34:11 | אֶמְצָא | emetsa | HVqi1cs |
let me find | I will find | I may find |
H4672-23 |
Genesis 36:24 | מָצָ֤א | matsa | HVqp3ms |
found | he found | found |
H4672-96 |
Genesis 37:15 | וַ/יִּמְצָאֵ֣/הוּ | vayimetsaehu | HC/Vqw3ms/Sp3ms |
and found him | and he found him | and he found him |
H4672-97 |
Genesis 37:17 | וַ/יִּמְצָאֵ֖/ם | vayimetsaem | HC/Vqw3ms/Sp3mp |
and found them | and he found them | and he found them |
H4672-24 |
Genesis 37:32 | מָצָ֑אנוּ | matsanu | HVqp1cp |
we have found | we have found | we have found |
H4672-32 |
Genesis 38:20 | מְצָאָֽ/הּ | metsaah | HVqp3ms/Sp3fs |
he found her | he found her | he found her |
H4672-40 |
Genesis 38:22 | מְצָאתִ֑י/הָ | metsatiha | HVqp1cs/Sp3fs |
I found her | I found her | I found her |
H4672-38 |
Genesis 38:23 | מְצָאתָֽ/הּ | metsatah | HVqp2ms/Sp3fs |
have found her | you found her | have found her |
H4672-94 |
Genesis 39:4 | וַ/יִּמְצָ֨א | vayimetsa | HC/Vqw3ms |
and found | and he found | and he found |
H4672-08 |
Genesis 41:38 | הֲ/נִמְצָ֣א | hanimetsa | HTi/Vqi1cp |
Can we find | the one being found | can be found |
H4672-24 |
Genesis 44:8 | מָצָ֨אנוּ֙ | matsanu | HVqp1cp |
we found | we have found | we have found |
H4672-108 |
Genesis 44:9 | יִמָּצֵ֥א | yimatse | HVNi3ms |
it is found | he will be found | he will be found |
H4672-108 |
Genesis 44:10 | יִמָּצֵ֤א | yimatse | HVNi3ms |
is found | he will be found | will be found |
H4672-92 |
Genesis 44:12 | וַ/יִּמָּצֵא֙ | vayimatse | HC/VNw3ms |
and it was found | was found | and it was found |
H4672-23 |
Genesis 44:16 | מָצָא֙ | matsa | HVqp3ms |
has found | he found | he found |
H4672-53 |
Genesis 44:16 | נִמְצָ֥א | nimetsa | HVNp3ms |
was found | was found | was found |