Word Study for H4042 (מָגַן) | Strong's Concordance

mâgan /maw-gan'/ Ask about this word

Roota denominative from מָגֵן

Meaningproperly, to shield; encompass with; figuratively, to rescue, to hand safely over (i.e. surrender)

KJV usagedeliver.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of mâgan — 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 mâgan, represented by H4042, means to shield, rescue, or to hand safely over. This term, which appears 3 times across 3 unique verses, carries the figurative meaning of delivering or surrendering something or someone into another's control, whether for victory, judgment, or blessing.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H4042 is used in a few distinct contexts. It is found in a blessing to the most high God, who has delivered enemies into a victor's hand Genesis 14:20. It is also used by God to express a deep, compassionate dilemma, as He asks how He can deliver Israel up to the fate of other cities, showing His repentings are kindled Hosea 11:8. The word also appears figuratively in Proverbs, where personified wisdom is said to deliver a crown of glory to the one who embraces her Proverbs 4:9.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words provide context for the act of delivering:

H5414 nâthan (a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application): This common verb for "to give" appears in conjunction with H4042 in all three of its occurrences, such as when wisdom will both give an ornament and deliver a crown Proverbs 4:9.
H6862 tsar (an opponent (as crowding); adversary, afflicted(-tion), anguish, close, distress, enemy...): This term identifies the enemies whom God has delivered in Genesis 14:20, defining the object of God's powerful intervention.
H3478 Yisrâʼêl (he will rule as God; Jisrael...Israel): This is the name of the people God expresses merciful reluctance to deliver up in Hosea 11:8, framing the act as one of profound covenantal consequence.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H4042 is demonstrated through its specific applications:

Divine Sovereignty: The word underscores God's ultimate authority over the fate of nations and individuals. He is the one who delivered enemies, demonstrating his power to grant victory Genesis 14:20.
Merciful Restraint: H4042 reveals a tension between God's justice and His love. His hesitation to deliver Israel shows that His actions are tempered by deep compassion and his repentings Hosea 11:8.
Bestowal of Blessing: The term is not limited to conflict or judgment. It can signify a positive and willing transfer of honor, as when wisdom delivers a crown of glory, symbolizing the rewards given to the righteous Proverbs 4:9.

Summary

In summary, H4042 is a specific and potent word for the act of handing something over safely. Though rare, its uses are significant, portraying God as the sovereign who delivers foes into the hands of His people, the compassionate Father who refrains from delivering His children to destruction, and the source of all wisdom, which delivers honor and glory as a gift.

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 verb across 3 occurrences, inflected in 3 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Piel Imperfect 1st Singular common gender 1×
Piel Imperfect 3rd Singular Feminine 1×
Piel Perfect 3rd Singular Masculine 1×

Singular: One.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
Feminine: Feminine grammatical gender.
common gender: Either gender — the form does not distinguish.
1st: First person — the speaker ("I"/"we").
3rd: Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Imperfect: Ongoing or repeated action in the past — "was doing".
Perfect: A completed act whose results continue.
Piel: The intensive stem — strengthened or emphatic action.

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 3 verses across 3 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Genesis, Proverbs, and Hosea (1 verse each); never once in the other 36.

Genesis

Proverbs

Hosea

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, 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.