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מְתַלְּעָה

𐤌𐤕𐤋𐤏𐤄

mᵉthallᵉʻâh

H4973 noun

SILEX Entry

Root לע to chew, to bite, to crush

Definition

A large tooth, especially a molar or jaw tooth; the term refers to prominent teeth used for biting or crushing, often in the context of both human and animal anatomy. It can also be used metonymically to refer to the jaw itself, particularly the structure containing these teeth.

Semantic Range

molar, large tooth, jaw tooth, cheek tooth, (by metonymy) jaw, instrument of biting or crushing, poetic image for destructive power

Root / Etymology

From the verb לָעַע (laʿaʿ), 'to chew, to masticate, to bite,' with the mem-prefix and the doubling of the lamed likely indicating an instrumental or resultative formation. The word reflects an object associated with the root action: the tooth (especially the kind used for grinding or crushing). The root idea is 'to chew' or 'to bite,' but the noun designates the anatomical structure used for that purpose.

Historical & Contextual Notes

מְתַלְּעָה occurs infrequently in the Hebrew Bible and is characteristic of poetic or elevated language, such as in Job and Psalms. Its usage predominantly refers to teeth associated with strength, such as a lion's molars, or metaphorically of destructive power (e.g., 'breaking the teeth of the wicked'). Standard English translations often render it as 'jaw tooth' or 'molar,' but this may obscure the emphasis on strength and ferocity in the original context, especially when applied to animals. The term is distinct from the more common שֵׁן (shen, 'tooth'), which can refer to any tooth; מְתַלְּעָה specifically points to the back teeth or jaws used for crushing rather than tearing or cutting. In later Hebrew, the term does not persist, and post-biblical usage prefers other anatomical designations. Its metaphorical usage underscores violence or destruction, contrasting with more neutral terms for 'tooth.'

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

contr. from יָלַע; properly, a biter, i.e. a tooth; cheek (jaw) tooth, jaw.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

לע (l-ʿ) — to chew, to bite, to crush

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H4973-03 וּֽ/מְתַלְּע֥וֹת umetaleot HC/Ncfpc and its fangs and jaw-teeth of 1
H4973-02 מְֽתַלְּעֹ֫תָ֥י/ו metaleotayv HNcfpc/Sp3ms [are] knives his crushing-molars 1
H4973-01 מְתַלְּע֣וֹת metaleot HNcfpc jaws molars of 1

Occurrences in Scripture

3 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H4973-03 Joel 1:6 וּֽ/מְתַלְּע֥וֹת umetaleot HC/Ncfpc and its fangs and jaw-teeth of
H4973-02 Proverbs 30:14 מְֽתַלְּעֹ֫תָ֥י/ו metaleotayv HNcfpc/Sp3ms [are] knives his crushing-molars
H4973-01 Job 29:17 מְתַלְּע֣וֹת metaleot HNcfpc jaws molars of
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