Word Study for H4261 (מַחְמָד)

machmâd /makh-mawd'/ Ask about this word

Meaningdelightful; hence, a delight, i.e. object of affection or desire

KJV usagebeloved, desire, goodly, lovely, pleasant (thing).

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of machmâd — 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 machmâd, represented by H4261, refers to something delightful or an object of affection and desire. It appears 13 times in 13 unique verses, often translated as pleasant thing, desire, lovely, or beloved. The term signifies that which is highly valued, cherished, and considered a source of delight.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In scripture, H4261 is frequently used to describe cherished things that are lost or destroyed as a consequence of judgment. This includes the loss of the holy H6944 and beautiful H8597 house H1004 of God Isaiah 64:11 and its "goodly vessels H3627" 2 Chronicles 36:19. The term also applies to people, such as the beloved H4261 children of Ephraim who face destruction Hosea 9:16 and Ezekiel's wife, described as the desire H4261 of his eyes, who is taken from him by a stroke H4046 Ezekiel 24:16. In a contrasting positive sense, it describes the beloved in Song of Solomon as "altogether lovely H4261" Song of Solomon 5:16.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words expand upon the concept of what is desirable or valued:

H4262 machmud (pleasant thing): A closely related word defined as desired or valuable, used alongside H4261 to emphasize the value of things given for food during a siege Lamentations 1:11.
H4263 machmâl (pitieth): Used in connection with the destruction of the sanctuary, which is called the desire H4261 of their eyes and the object their soul H5315 pitieth H4263, highlighting the deep emotional attachment and sympathy for what is lost Ezekiel 24:21.
H5869 ʻayin (eye): Frequently paired with H4261 to denote things that are visually delightful or desired, as in "all that were pleasant H4261 to the eye H5869" Lamentations 2:4 or "the desire H4261 of thine eyes H5869" Ezekiel 24:16.
H1730 dôwd (beloved, friend): In Song of Solomon, after describing a person as "altogether lovely H4261", the speaker declares, "This is my beloved H1730", directly linking the concept of loveliness to a cherished, personal relationship Song of Solomon 5:16.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H4261 is primarily seen through the lens of judgment and affection.

Loss of Divine Favor: The term is often tied to the destruction of things Israel held dear, especially the sanctuary H4720 and its treasures. The loss of these "pleasant things" Isaiah 64:11 is a physical manifestation of the spiritual consequences of sin and the removal of God's protection.
Objects of Judgment: God Himself targets the "pleasant things" as an act of judgment. He pours out His fury H2534 on what is "pleasant to the eye" Lamentations 2:4 and profanes the sanctuary, the "desire of their eyes" Ezekiel 24:21, demonstrating that nothing cherished by humanity is safe from the consequences of disobedience.
Human and Divine Affection: Beyond material items, H4261 encompasses the deepest human relationships, such as a spouse Ezekiel 24:16 or children Hosea 9:16. Its use in Song of Solomon to describe a person as "altogether lovely H4261" elevates the term to a description of cherished personal beauty and character Song of Solomon 5:16.

Summary

In summary, machmâd H4261 is a powerful word that encapsulates the concept of a cherished delight or desire. While it can describe the highest form of personal affection and beauty Song of Solomon 5:16, its most frequent biblical usage is in the context of tragic loss. It poignantly illustrates the pain of divine judgment, where the most pleasant things—from sacred objects and homes to beloved family members—are taken away, highlighting the profound cost of turning away from God.

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 12 occurrences, inflected in 4 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.

מַחֲמַדֵּי
מַחְמַד
מַחֲמַדִּים
מַחְמַד

Related Words

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

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 13 verses across 8 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Lamentations and Ezekiel (3 verses each); never once in the other 31.

1 Kings

2 Chronicles

Song of Solomon

Isaiah

Lamentations

Ezekiel

Hosea

Joel

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.