Word Study for H4022 (מֶגֶד) | Strong's Concordance

meged /meh'-ghed/ Ask about this word

Rootfrom an unused root probably meaning to be eminent

Meaningproperly, a distinguished thing; hence something valuable, as aproduct or fruit

KJV usagepleasant, precious fruit (thing).

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of meged — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word meged, represented by H4022, describes a distinguished or valuable thing. Derived from a root meaning to be eminent, it is used for something precious, such as a product or fruit. This word appears 8 times across 7 unique verses in the Bible, consistently denoting the choicest and most pleasant of things.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, H4022 appears prominently in contexts of blessing and intimate delight. In the blessing of Joseph, it is repeatedly used to describe the precious things of creation: from heaven, the earth, the sun, the moon, and the ancient mountains Deuteronomy 33:13-16. These verses frame meged as a sign of divine favor and immense natural bounty. In the Song of Solomon, the word is translated as pleasant fruits, signifying the choicest produce of a garden, which is offered from one beloved to another as a token of love and intimacy Song of Solomon 4:16.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the meaning of H4022 by highlighting its connection to produce, value, and excellence:

H6529 pᵉrîy (fruit): This word for fruit, both literal and figurative, is often paired directly with meged to specify "pleasant fruits" in a garden setting Song of Solomon 4:13.
H8393 tᵉbûwʼâh (fruit, gain, increase, revenue): Similar to pᵉrîy, this term for produce or income is used with meged to describe the "precious fruits brought forth by the sun" in the blessing of Joseph Deuteronomy 33:14.
H7218 rôʼsh (head, chief): This word is used in parallel with meged to denote excellence, describing the "chief things of the ancient mountains" alongside the "precious things of the lasting hills" Deuteronomy 33:15.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H4022 is centered on the concepts of divine giftedness and the value of a choice offering.

Divine Provision: The word is overwhelmingly used in Deuteronomy 33 to catalog the blessings from God upon the land of Joseph. It underscores that the most precious things of creation—from the dew of heaven to the bounty of the earth—are a direct result of God's favor Deuteronomy 33:13.
Mark of Distinction: The term's root meaning, "to be eminent," is reflected in its application to Joseph, who was "separated from his brethren" Deuteronomy 33:16. The precious things are a physical manifestation of his distinguished and blessed status.
Relational Value: In the Song of Solomon, the "pleasant fruits" are not merely food but are part of a beautiful, aromatic garden offered to the beloved. This elevates the meaning from simple produce to a symbol of joy, delight, and the giving of one's best in a relationship Song of Solomon 7:13.

Summary

In summary, H4022 is a specific and meaningful term that goes beyond a generic item of value. It signifies a distinguished and precious gift, representing the best that either creation or a person has to offer. Whether describing the boundless provision of God's blessing or the intimate joys shared between loved ones, meged consistently points to that which is eminent, pleasant, and highly prized.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 8 occurrences, inflected in 3 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

מֶּגֶד
מְגָדִים
מְגָדָי

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 7 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Deuteronomy (4 verses); never once in the other 37.

Deuteronomy

Song of Solomon

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.