### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **meker**, represented by `{{H4377}}`, is derived from the root for "to sell" and denotes **merchandise, value, pay, or price**. It appears **3 times** in **3 unique verses**, showing its application in contexts of both commercial transactions and the appraisal of worth.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
`{{H4377}}` is used to convey three distinct but related ideas. In Nehemiah, it refers to tangible goods, where men of Tyre brought "all manner of **ware**" to sell in Jerusalem on the Sabbath [[Nehemiah 13:16]]. In Numbers, it signifies payment for a resource, as the Israelites offered to **pay** for any water they or their cattle drank [[Numbers 20:19]]. Most significantly, in Proverbs, the term is used figuratively to describe immeasurable worth, stating that the **price** of a virtuous woman is "far above rubies" [[Proverbs 31:10]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words expand upon the concepts of value and commerce:
* `{{H4376}}` **mâkar** (to sell): As the primitive root of **meker**, this verb defines the action of a transaction. It appears in contexts of selling people, like when Joseph's brothers **sold** him into slavery [[Genesis 37:28]], or figuratively, when the LORD **sold** Israel to its enemies due to disobedience [[Judges 2:14]].
* `{{H2428}}` **chayil** (virtue, valor, strength, wealth): This term is directly linked to **meker** in the description of the virtuous woman, whose **price** is high because of her **virtue** [[Proverbs 31:10]]. It highlights that value can be derived from character and strength, not just material goods.
* `{{H6443}}` **pânîyn** (ruby): This word for a precious jewel provides a standard of earthly value. The **price** `{{H4377}}` of the virtuous woman is measured as being "above **rubies**," establishing a moral worth that exceeds material wealth [[Proverbs 31:10]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H4377}}` is demonstrated in its specific applications:
* **The Value of Virtue:** The use of **meker** in [[Proverbs 31:10]] assigns a "price" to a person's character. By stating a virtuous woman's value is "far above rubies," Scripture elevates moral qualities over material wealth, presenting them as the ultimate measure of a person's worth.
* **Integrity in Transactions:** In [[Numbers 20:19]], Israel’s offer to **pay** for water demonstrates a principle of righteous conduct. Even in a position of need, they commit to a fair exchange, respecting the property of others and fulfilling their commercial obligation.
* **Commerce and Sacred Boundaries:** [[Nehemiah 13:16]] places the selling of **ware** `{{H4377}}` in direct conflict with the sanctity of the Sabbath. This illustrates a key theological principle: commercial enterprise and the pursuit of profit must be subordinate to divine law and holy observances.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H4377}}` **meker** functions as more than a simple commercial term. It spans from concrete **ware** sold in the marketplace to the **pay** offered in a transaction, and ultimately to the abstract **price** of a person's character. Through its limited but potent usage, the word illustrates how biblical thought applies concepts of value and exchange to teach profound truths about personal virtue, communal integrity, and the supremacy of faithfulness over worldly commerce.
TRV