English · KJV
H4292

מַטְאֲטֵא

maṭʼăṭêʼ /mat-at-ay'/ Ask about this word
Rootapparently a denominative from טִיט
Meaninga broom (as removing dirt (compare English 'to dust', i.e. remove dust))
KJV usagebesom.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of maṭʼăṭêʼ — 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 maṭʼăṭêʼ, represented by H4292, translates to besom or broom. It appears only 1 time in 1 unique verse in the Bible. Its definition describes it as an instrument for removing dirt, but its single biblical usage gives it a much more powerful, metaphorical weight.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The sole appearance of H4292 is in Isaiah 14:23, where it is used to describe the totality of God's judgment. The Lord declares that He will sweep the land "with the besom of destruction." In this context, the word is not a literal broom but a symbol of a thorough and final cleansing or desolation. The action is so complete that the land is transformed into a possession for the bittern and filled with pools of water, signifying utter ruin.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words from its context in Isaiah 14:23 illuminate the meaning of this judgment:

  • H2894 ṭûwʼ (to sweep away): This is the action for which the besom is the instrument. Its use here denotes a divine act of complete removal.
  • H8045 shâmad (to desolate; destory): This word is directly linked to the besom, forming the phrase "besom of destruction" and defining the purpose of the sweeping as total obliteration.
  • H7090 qippôwd (bittern): The result of the sweeping is a land fit only for the bittern, a bird associated with desolate places, emphasizing the completeness of the judgment Isaiah 34:11.
  • H98 ʼăgam (pond, pool): The land's transformation into pools of water illustrates a reversal to a state of primordial waste, underlining the desolation.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H4292 is concentrated in its single, potent use.

  • Instrument of Divine Judgment: The besom is presented as God's chosen tool for enacting a final, sweeping judgment. It signifies an action that is meticulous and leaves nothing behind.
  • Symbol of Total Desolation: Paired with the verb "to sweep" H2894 and the noun "destruction" H8045, the word illustrates a desolation that is absolute. The former state is not just defeated but entirely wiped away.
  • Irreversible Transformation: The result of the sweeping is a permanent change in the land's nature, making it uninhabitable and turning it into a marsh. The act of God is to "make" H7760 it this way, indicating a deliberate and final recreation into a wasteland.

Summary

In summary, while H4292 literally means besom, its biblical significance is far greater. Used only once, it functions as a powerful metaphor for the totality of divine judgment. It demonstrates how a common, everyday object can be elevated in scripture to represent an inescapable and comprehensive act of God, in this case, the sweeping away of a nation into complete and utter destruction.

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 1 occurrence, inflected in 1 grammatical form — 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.

  • מַטְאֲטֵא

Related Words

Related

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.

H2894 טוּא a primitive root; to sweep away; sweep. H8045 שָׁמַד a primitive root; to desolate; destory(-uction), bring to nought, overthrow, perish, pluck down, [idiom] utterly. H7090 קִפּוֹד or קִפֹּדlemma קִכֹּד kaf, corrected to קִפֹּד; from קָפַד; a species of bird, perhaps the bittern (from its contracted H98 אֲגַם from an unused root (meaning to collect as water); a marsh; hence a rush (as growing in swamps); hence a stockade of ree H7760 שׂוּם or שִׂים; a primitive root; to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and ell

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

1 verse, all in Isaiah — 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.