מַצָּע
𐤌𐤑𐤏
matstsâʻ
H4702 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A surface prepared to serve as a couch, bed, or place for lying or reclining; in biblical usage, typically a layer of bedding or a portable mat for sleeping or resting. Extends also to a pallet or makeshift bed, often consisting of simple materials such as woven reeds, cloth, or straw.
Semantic Range
couch, mat, pallet, bedding, spread for reclining, portable bed, temporary bed
Root / Etymology
From the root יצע (y-ts-‘), which conveys the sense 'to spread' or 'to spread out'. מַצָּע (mattsa‘) is a noun formation, likely denoting something that is spread out to form a surface for reclining or sleeping. The derivation involves the prefixed mem (מ), a common nominalizer in Hebrew, marking the product/result of the root action (here, the thing 'spread out').
Historical & Contextual Notes
In earlier biblical periods, מַצָּע referred to portable bedding, used in both domestic settings and for travel, reflecting typical ancient Israelite sleeping arrangements—more akin to mats or pallets than fixed, wooden beds of later times. It is occasionally paralleled with words like מִשְׁכָּב (mishkav), which more generally means 'bed' or 'place of lying down,' but מַצָּע more specifically highlights the layered or spread-out nature. References in poetry or narrative (e.g., the Song of Songs) can signal intimate or festive settings, and its use in post-exilic or late biblical Hebrew can overlap with more developed notions of sleeping furniture, though the semantic scope remains closer to 'mat' or 'bedding' than to a modern 'bed.' English translations as 'bed' may at times obscure the underlying sense of a simple, sometimes temporary surface for rest. No significant theological usages or anachronistic references to later concepts of beds appear attached to מַצָּע.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from יַצַע; a couch; bed.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
יצע (y-ts-ʿ) — to spread out, lay out
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4702-01 |
הַ/מַּצָּ֖ע | hamatsa | HTd/Ncmsa |
the bed | the spread-out mat | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4702-01 |
Isaiah 28:20 | הַ/מַּצָּ֖ע | hamatsa | HTd/Ncmsa |
the bed | the spread-out mat |