מַתְּלָאָה
𐤌𐤕𐤋𐤀𐤄
mattᵉlâʼâh
H4972 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A concrete noun expressing exclamation of weariness or burden, typically conveying the sense of 'what a weariness!' or 'what a burden!' The word appears as a direct expression of exasperation or complaint about the difficulty, trouble, or tiresome nature of something. It frequently conveys a feeling of frustration over labor or obligation perceived as unduly burdensome.
Semantic Range
expression of weariness, complaint of trouble, exclamation over burden or inconvenience, declaration of hardship
Root / Etymology
Formed from the interrogative 'מה' (mah, 'what?') and the noun 'תְּלָאָה' (tela'ah, 'weariness, hardship, trouble'), yielding a construct phrase, literally 'what (a) trouble/hardship.' The phrase functions syntactically as an exclamatory noun in context.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Used in later books of the Hebrew Bible, specifically in the post-exilic text of Malachi (Malachi 1:13), as an expression of complaint or dismissal by religious functionaries regarding the required offerings. The form encapsulates both the objective sense of tired burden and the subjective feeling of being inconvenienced. English translations typically render it as 'what a weariness!' or 'what a burden!,' which capably communicates the meaning yet sometimes does not fully capture the underlying cultural or emotional tone of complaint toward the ritual obligations. The word is rare and appears to be a coined or context-specific expression rather than a standard biblical Hebrew lexeme; thus, it reflects post-exilic Hebrew tendencies toward more developed constructs of exclamation. Distinct from 'עָמָל' (ʿamal, general 'toil, labor, trouble') in that 'מַתְּלָאָה' directly frames the hardship as a subject of exclamation or complaint, not merely the fact of its existence.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from מָה and תְּלָאָה; what a trouble!; what a weariness.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
מה, תלא (m-h; t-l-ʾ) — what, trouble, weariness, hardship
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4972-01 |
מַ/תְּלָאָ֜ה | matelaah | HTi/Ncfsa |
weariness | what a weariness! | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4972-01 |
Malachi 1:13 | מַ/תְּלָאָ֜ה | matelaah | HTi/Ncfsa |
weariness | what a weariness! |