Word Study for H4483 (מְנָא) | Strong's Concordance

mᵉnâʼ /men-aw'/ Ask about this word

Root(Aramaic) or מְנָה

Meaning(Aramaic), corresponding to מָנָה; to count, appoint

KJV usagenumber, ordain, set.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of mᵉnâʼ — 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 Aramaic word mᵉnâʼ, represented by H4483, means to count, appoint; number, ordain, set. It appears 5 times across 5 unique verses in the Bible. This term is used exclusively in the books of Ezra and Daniel, primarily in contexts of royal administration and divine judgment.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H4483 is used to signify the act of appointing individuals to official positions. For example, Ezra is commanded to set magistrates and judges to govern the people according to God's law Ezra 7:25. Similarly, after interpreting the king's dream, Daniel requested that his companions be set over the affairs of Babylon Daniel 2:49, an appointment later recounted by their accusers Daniel 3:12. The term can also mean to commission a task, as when the king had ordained Arioch to destroy the wise men Daniel 2:24. Its most significant use is in God's judgment on the wall, where "MENE" is interpreted to mean God has numbered the days of Belshazzar's kingdom and is bringing it to an end Daniel 5:26.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related Aramaic words clarify the scope and context of H4483:

H5673 ʻăbîydâh (affairs, service, work): This noun defines the area of responsibility for those appointed. Daniel's companions were set H4483 over the affairs of the province of Babylon (Daniel 2:49, Daniel 3:12).
H6966 qûwm (to appoint, establish, set up): This verb is often used for establishing authority or objects. While men were set H4483 over the province, the charge against them was that they would not worship the golden image the king had set up Daniel 3:12.
H8200 shᵉphaṭ (magistrate): This word specifies one of the official roles being established. Ezra was instructed to set H4483 magistrates and judges, directly connecting the act of appointing with the function of judgment Ezra 7:25.

Theological Significance

The conceptual weight of H4483 centers on themes of authority and sovereignty.

Delegated Authority: The word is fundamental to understanding governance in a monarchy. Earthly kings exercise their power by appointing, or setting, officials to carry out administrative duties (Ezra 7:25, Daniel 2:49).
Execution of a Decree: Beyond personnel, H4483 signifies the commissioning of a specific action. The king ordained Arioch to destroy Babylon's wise men, linking the word to the execution of a royal command Daniel 2:24.
Divine Sovereignty: The word's highest significance is theological. When God numbered Belshazzar's kingdom, He was not merely counting but appointing its final destiny, demonstrating that He holds ultimate authority over the rise and fall of all human empires Daniel 5:26.

Summary

In summary, mᵉnâʼ H4483 is a powerful word that bridges the gap between human administration and divine prerogative. From the practical act of appointing an official to manage provincial affairs, its meaning elevates to the profound concept of God ordaining the fate of nations. The word illustrates that any power to set or number on earth is a reflection of God's ultimate sovereignty as the one who appoints all things.

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 5 occurrences, inflected in 5 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.

מֶנִּי
מַנִּיתָ
מַנִּי
מְנָה
מַנִּי

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 5 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Daniel (4 verses); never once in the other 37.

Ezra

Daniel

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.