Word Study for H4374 (מְכַסֶּה)

mᵉkaççeh /mek-as-seh'/ Ask about this word

Meaninga covering, i.e. garment; specifically, a coverlet (for a bed), an awning (from the sun); also the omentum (as covering the intestines)

KJV usageclothing, to cover, that which covereth.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of mᵉkaççeh — 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 mᵉkaççeh, represented by H4374, is a term for a covering. Based on the root word for "to cover," its meaning can range from a garment or a bed coverlet to the omentum that covers the intestines. It appears 4 times across 4 unique verses, illustrating its specific and varied applications in scripture.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical appearances, H4374 is used in several distinct contexts. In a prophecy concerning Tyre, its merchandise is destined to become "durable clothing" for those who dwell before the Lord Isaiah 23:18. In a contrasting prophetic judgment, it describes a grim finality, where worms are the cover for the fallen in the grave Isaiah 14:11. For ceremonial purposes, it refers specifically to the fatty tissue that covereth the internal organs of a sacrificial animal Leviticus 9:19. Finally, it is used to depict luxury and wealth in a lament over Tyre, where a fine material from the isles of Elishah covered the ship as an awning Ezekiel 27:7.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the concept of covering and spreading:

H3331 yatsaʻ (to strew as a surface; make (one's) bed, [idiom] lie, spread): This word is used in conjunction with H4374 in the description of the grave, where the worm is spread under a person, while other worms are their cover Isaiah 14:11.
H4666 miphrâs (an expansion; that which...spreadest forth, spreading): This term appears in the description of Tyre's ship, where fine linen was what thou spreadest forth for a sail, while the material from Elishah was what covered thee Ezekiel 27:7.

Theological Significance

The significance of H4374 is revealed through its application in different literary forms.

Prophetic Symbolism: The word serves as a powerful symbol in prophecy. It can represent humiliation in death, as a cover of worms Isaiah 14:11, or the blessings of restoration, as durable clothing for God's people Isaiah 23:18.
Ritual Specification: In the Law, its use is highly specific, identifying the exact part of an animal—"that which covereth the inwards"—to be used in a holy offering to the Lord Leviticus 9:19.
Imagery of Materialism: The term is used to paint a picture of earthly splendor and pride, where a ship's expensive cover is part of a list of extravagant goods that characterize a worldly kingdom Ezekiel 27:7.

Summary

In summary, H4374 is a precise term that carries weight far beyond its simple definition of "a covering." Its meaning is shaped entirely by its context, shifting from a practical piece of clothing Isaiah 23:18 to a specific part of a sacrifice Leviticus 9:19. It functions as a potent image in prophecy, capable of illustrating both the depths of the grave Isaiah 14:11 and the peak of worldly luxury Ezekiel 27:7.

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.

מְכַסֶּה
מְכַסֶּי

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 4 verses across 3 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Isaiah (2 verses); never once in the other 36.

Leviticus

Isaiah

Ezekiel

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.