מֶתֶג
𐤌𐤕𐤂
metheg
H4964 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A device for restraining or controlling an animal, especially a horse—specifically, a bit or bridle placed in the mouth to direct or hold back. The term always refers to an instrument of restraint or control in an animal husbandry and metaphorical context.
Semantic Range
bit (for horse or mule), bridle, instrument of animal restraint, means of control or dominion (metaphorical), symbolic term for dominance or authority (as in place name), Masoretic cantillation mark (post-biblical)
Root / Etymology
The word מֶתֶג (metheg) likely derives from a root *מתג, which is not otherwise attested in Hebrew but is related to Akkadian matāqu or Aramaic מטג meaning 'to hold, restrain, bridle, check.' The root conveys the sense of restraining or holding back, and the noun form designates the object used for restraint. Root: מתג.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, מֶתֶג is used both literally and figuratively. Literally, it appears as a term for the bit or bridle used to control horses (e.g., 2 Kings 19:28; Isaiah 37:29). Metaphorically, it is used to describe means of control or restraint, as in the divine control over nations or powerful entities. In later periods and translation traditions, the term 'bit' or 'bridle' persists, but usage of 'bridle' in English sometimes narrows the imagery. מֶתֶג also appears as part of the place name 'Metheg-ammah' (מֶתֶג הָאַמָּה), likely meaning 'the bridle of the mother city,' referring to control or dominion over an important location (2 Samuel 8:1), underscoring the term's connotation of dominance or authority. In the Masoretic tradition, the term 'metheg' was borrowed for a cantillation mark resembling a small vertical stroke, reflecting the concept of a 'restraint' or 'pause' in chanting. The word is rare and its meaning was never substantially broadened beyond restraint or control, whether literal or figurative.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from an unused root meaning to curb; a bit; bit, bridle.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
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מתג (m-t-g) — to restrain, to hold in, to check, to control
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4964-03 |
וּ/מִתְגִּ/י֙ | umitegi | HC/Ncmsc/Sp1cs |
and My bit | and my restraining-bit | 2 |
H4964-01 |
בְּ/מֶֽתֶג | bemeteg | HR/Ncmsa |
in their mouth | with a bridle | 1 |
H4964-02 |
מֶ֣תֶג | meteg | HNcmsa |
a bridle | bridle-of | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4964-03 |
2 Kings 19:28 | וּ/מִתְגִּ/י֙ | umitegi | HC/Ncmsc/Sp1cs |
and My bridle | and my restraining-bit |
H4964-03 |
Isaiah 37:29 | וּ/מִתְגִּ/י֙ | umitegi | HC/Ncmsc/Sp1cs |
and My bit | and my restraining-bit |
H4964-01 |
Psalms 32:9 | בְּ/מֶֽתֶג | bemeteg | HR/Ncmsa |
in their mouth | with a bridle |
H4964-02 |
Proverbs 26:3 | מֶ֣תֶג | meteg | HNcmsa |
a bridle | bridle-of |