Word Study for H4355 (מָכַךְ)

mâkak /maw-kak'/ Ask about this word

Roota primitive root

Meaningto tumble (in ruins); figuratively, to perish

KJV usagebe brought low, decay.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of mâkak — 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 mâkak, represented by H4355, is a primitive root meaning to tumble (in ruins). It is used figuratively to describe perishing, being brought low, or to decay. It appears 3 times across 3 unique verses in the Bible, consistently conveying a sense of decline and ruin.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H4355 illustrates the principle of decline resulting from specific causes. In Ecclesiastes, the word describes how a building decayeth as a direct result of slothfulness Ecclesiastes 10:18. In the Psalms, Israel's repeated provocation and iniquity led to them being brought low by God Psalms 106:43. The book of Job uses the term to describe the ultimate fate of the wicked, who, after a brief period of being exalted, are brought low and perish Job 24:24.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words expand upon the causes and outcomes associated with being brought low:

H4784 mârâh (to rebel): This word is often the cause of being brought low. In Psalms 106:43, Israel provoked God with their counsel, leading to their decline. The term is consistently used to describe rebellion against God's words and commandments Psalms 107:11.
H6103 ʻatslâh (slothfulness): This term is explicitly linked to physical decay. In Ecclesiastes 10:18, it is slothfulness that causes the building to decayeth. It is also associated with hunger and need Proverbs 19:15.
H7426 râmam (to rise): This word serves as a direct contrast to being brought low. In Job 24:24, the wicked are exalted for a short time before they are brought low, highlighting the temporary nature of their status.
H5243 nâmal (be cut down): This word often appears alongside H4355 to describe a final, decisive end. After being brought low, the wicked are cut off as the tops of the ears of corn Job 24:24, a fate also compared to withering grass or a flower that is cut down (Psalms 37:2, Job 14:2).

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H4355 is found in its consistent portrayal of cause and effect in a moral universe.

Consequence of Rebellion: The state of being "brought low" is not random but is presented as the direct outcome of iniquity and provoking God. Israel's decline is a result of their own counsel and disobedience Psalms 106:43.
Decay from Negligence: The term connects spiritual or moral laziness to tangible ruin. Just as slothfulness causes a physical building to decayeth Ecclesiastes 10:18, so too does spiritual idleness lead to ruin.
The Brevity of Wickedness: H4355 underscores a theme of divine justice. The wicked may be exalted, but their prosperity is temporary, and they are ultimately brought low and cut off, demonstrating that their end is destruction Job 24:24.

Summary

In summary, H4355 is a potent term that signifies more than simple physical ruin. It serves as a biblical descriptor for the inevitable decline that follows moral and spiritual failure. Whether describing a building succumbing to slothfulness, a nation brought low by its iniquity, or the wicked perishing after a fleeting moment of exaltation, mâkak illustrates a core principle: actions of rebellion and negligence lead to a state of decay and being brought low.

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. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

הֻמְּכוּ
יִמַּךְ
יָּמֹכּוּ

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 Job, Psalms, and Ecclesiastes (1 verse each); never once in the other 36.

Job

Psalms

Ecclesiastes

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.