Word Study for H4061 (מִדָּה)

middâh /mid-daw'/ Ask about this word

Root(Aramaic) or מִנְדָּה

Meaning(Aramaic), corresponding to מִדָּה; tribute in money

KJV usagetoll, tribute.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of middâh — 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 Aramaic word middâh, represented by H4061, refers to tribute in money; toll, tribute. It appears 4 times across 4 unique verses in the Bible. This term is consistently used within the context of civic and royal finance, specifically denoting a tax or payment owed to a ruling power.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, all occurrences of H4061 are found in the book of Ezra, relating to the administration of the Persian empire. The word is part of a recurring list of taxes. For instance, a letter to the king warns that if Jerusalem is rebuilt, its inhabitants will refuse to pay toll H4061, tribute, and custom, which would harm the king's finances Ezra 4:13. This form of revenue was historically significant, as the mighty kings who had once ruled from Jerusalem also received toll from the lands they controlled Ezra 4:20. The king's authority is further shown when he decrees that the tribute collected from beyond the river should be used to fund the rebuilding of the house of God Ezra 6:8.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words clarify the system of taxation in which H4061 operates:

H1093 bᵉlôw (excise (on articles consumed); tribute): This word appears alongside H4061 in a standardized list of payments owed to the king, representing a tax on consumed goods (Ezra 4:20, Ezra 7:24).
H1983 hălâk (toll on goods at a road; custom): Frequently mentioned with H4061 and H1093, this term refers to a toll on transported goods, completing the trio of primary taxes levied by the crown Ezra 4:13.
H674 ʼappᵉthôm (revenue): This word describes the overall income of the kings. It is what is endamaged if payments like toll H4061 are withheld Ezra 4:13.

Theological Significance

The use of H4061 highlights several key administrative concepts from the period:

Royal Revenue: The payment of toll H4061 was a foundational component of the king's treasury. The refusal to pay was considered a direct threat to the financial stability and authority of the throne Ezra 4:13.
Political Subjugation: The collection of toll was a clear indicator of a territory's submission to a ruling power. It was a standard practice for mighty kings to impose such taxes on the lands they governed Ezra 4:20.
Authorized Exemption: A king could exercise his power by granting exemptions from these taxes. The ministers of the house of God were specifically granted immunity from paying toll, tribute, or custom, signifying their protected status Ezra 7:24.

Summary

In summary, H4061 middâh is a specific administrative term for a monetary tribute or toll paid to a sovereign. Its usage in Ezra provides a clear window into the economic structure of the Persian empire, defining the relationship between the rulers and their subjects through the lens of taxation. The word is central to understanding issues of royal authority, the financing of state-sanctioned projects, and the political consequences of financial loyalty or rebellion.

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 4 occurrences, inflected in 2 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.

מִנְדָּה
מִדַּת

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

4 verses, all in Ezra — and none of the other 38 Old Testament books.

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.