Word Study for H4504 (מִנְחָה)

minchâh /min-khaw'/ Ask about this word

Root(Aramaic) corresponding to מִנְחָה

Meaninga sacrificial offering

KJV usageoblation, meat offering.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of minchâh — 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 minchâh, represented by H4504, corresponds to a sacrificial offering, oblation, or meat offering. It is a rare term, appearing only 2 times across 2 unique verses in the Bible.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The word's usage appears in two distinct contexts. In the book of Ezra, it is listed as one of the required sacrifices to be purchased and presented to God. These meat offerings were to be bought with money, alongside bullocks, rams, and lambs, and offered upon the altar H4056 at the house of God in Jerusalem Ezra 7:17. In contrast, in the book of Daniel, King Nebuchadnezzar commands that an oblation H4504 and sweet odours be offered to the prophet Daniel himself, following the king's act of worship toward him Daniel 2:46.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related Aramaic words clarify the context of a minchâh:

H5261 nᵉçak (drink offering): Defined as a libation, this term appears alongside meat offerings H4504 as part of a complete sacrificial act Ezra 7:17.
H4056 madbach (altar): This is the designated place for a sacrificial offering, where the meat offerings H4504 were to be brought before God Ezra 7:17.
H5208 nîychôwach (sweet odour (savour)): This term for pleasure or a sweet savour is paired with the oblation H4504 commanded by Nebuchadnezzar for Daniel, indicating an offering of reverence Daniel 2:46.

Theological Significance

The significance of H4504 is demonstrated by its two specific applications:

Prescribed Temple Sacrifice: The term is used to describe a "meat offering" as a formal component of worship. It is part of a list of sacrifices to be funded and offered on the altar H4056 of God's house in Jerusalem, highlighting its role in the established religious system Ezra 7:17.
Extraordinary Human Veneration: In a starkly different setting, the word is used for an "oblation" that a pagan king commands to be offered to a man. This act by Nebuchadnezzar shows the immense respect and worship he felt for Daniel Daniel 2:46.

Summary

In summary, H4504 is a specific term for a sacrificial gift. While its appearances are few, they capture the word's use in two powerful settings: one as a "meat offering" within the formal worship of God, and the other as an "oblation" in an unparalleled act of reverence directed at a human prophet.

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.

מִנְחָתְ
מִנְחָה

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 Ezra and Daniel (1 verse each); 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.