Word Study for H4304 (מִטְפַּחַת)

miṭpachath /mit-pakh'-ath/ Ask about this word

Meaninga wide cloak (for a woman)

KJV usagevail, wimple.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of miṭpachath — 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 miṭpachath, represented by H4304, refers to a wide cloak (for a woman), translated as a vail or wimple. Derived from the root טָפַח, it is a rare term, appearing only 2 times in 2 unique verses in the entire biblical text. Its meaning is tied to a large, versatile piece of female clothing.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The two appearances of H4304 present it in contrasting contexts. In Ruth, the garment serves a practical purpose. Boaz instructs Ruth to bring her vail so he can fill it with six measures of barley, demonstrating its use as an article for carrying a substantial amount Ruth 3:15. In Isaiah, the term is translated as wimples and appears in a list of luxurious apparel, including mantles and changeable suits of apparel, which will be taken away by the Lord in judgment against the daughters of Zion Isaiah 3:22.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the function and context of H4304:

H270 ʼâchaz (to seize; hold): This word describes the physical action associated with the garment in Ruth's story. Ruth is commanded to hold her vail open to receive the barley, highlighting its use as a receptacle Ruth 3:15.
H4058 mâdad (to stretch; measure): In the same passage, Boaz measured the barley he placed into the cloak, signifying a deliberate and generous act of provision that the garment was capable of containing Ruth 3:15.
H4254 machălâtsâh (changeable suit of apparel): This term for fine clothing appears alongside wimples in Isaiah's prophecy, placing H4304 firmly in the category of fashionable, and perhaps excessive, adornment Isaiah 3:22.

Theological Significance

The thematic significance of H4304 is derived from its dual contexts:

Instrument of Blessing and Provision: In Ruth, the vail is not merely clothing but a vessel for receiving a blessing. It becomes the means by which Boaz provides for Ruth, filled with grain as a sign of his care and redemption Ruth 3:15.
Symbol of Worldly Luxury: In Isaiah, the wimple is listed as part of an inventory of finery that symbolizes vanity and pride. Its removal represents divine judgment against a focus on external, material status Isaiah 3:22.
Contrast of Humility and Pride: The two uses starkly contrast a garment used for a practical, humble purpose with one that represents worldly indulgence. It illustrates how a common object can signify either life-sustaining provision or material excess subject to judgment.

Summary

In summary, H4304 provides a focused look at a specific article of women's clothing. Though it appears only twice, its context in each instance is powerful. It functions both as a humble, practical tool for carrying life-giving sustenance in the narrative of Ruth and as a symbol of worldly luxury destined for removal in the prophecy of Isaiah. The word miṭpachath thus captures a duality, representing an object's value as either a means of humble provision or a mark of fleeting vanity.

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 2 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.

מִּטְפָּחוֹת
מִּטְפַּחַת

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 2 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Ruth and Isaiah (1 verse each); never once in the other 37.

Ruth

Isaiah

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.