(Aramaic) corresponding to מִנְחָה; a sacrificial offering; oblation, meat offering.
Transliteration:minchâh
Pronunciation:min-khaw'
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### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Aramaic term מִנְחָה (minchâh), Strong's `{{H4504}}`, is directly identified as the Aramaic cognate of the more common Hebrew word `{{H4503}}` (minchâh). While the Hebrew counterpart carries a broad semantic range encompassing "gift," "tribute," and specifically "grain offering" or "meal offering" within the cultic sphere, the Aramaic `{{H4504}}` is defined primarily as "a sacrificial offering" or "oblation," often rendered as "meat offering" in older translations, though it refers to a non-animal offering, typically grain. Its core meaning thus centers on a presented offering, whether as a mark of reverence, a tribute, or a specific component of religious sacrifice.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The occurrences of `{{H4504}}` are limited to the Aramaic portions of the Old Testament, specifically in the books of Ezra and Daniel. Its sparse usage, compared to its Hebrew cognate, nonetheless provides distinct contextual insights:
1. **[[Ezra 7:17]]**: "That with this money thou mayest buy bullocks, rams, lambs, with their **meat offerings** and their drink offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem." Here, `{{H4504}}` clearly denotes a specific type of offering, a grain offering, which accompanies the animal sacrifices (burnt offerings) and drink offerings. This context is cultic, describing the provisions for temple worship in Jerusalem, facilitated by King Artaxerxes. It highlights the comprehensive nature of the prescribed sacrificial system, which included non-animal components.
2. **[[Daniel 2:46]]**: "Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an **oblation** and sweet odours unto him." In this instance, `{{H4504}}` describes the "oblation" or "offering" that Nebuchadnezzar commanded to be made to Daniel. This is not a temple sacrifice but an act of profound reverence and homage, akin to divine worship, directed towards Daniel in recognition of the divine wisdom revealed through him. The term here signifies a general honorific gift or tribute, emphasizing the king's awe and submission.
These two contexts demonstrate the dual application of `{{H4504}}`: a precise cultic offering in Ezra, and a more general, yet deeply significant, act of homage in Daniel.
### Related Words & Concepts
The most significant related word is `{{H4503}}`, the Hebrew minchâh, which shares the identical spelling and a broad semantic overlap. `{{H4503}}` is used extensively throughout the Pentateuch and historical books to describe grain offerings, tribute payments, and general gifts. Understanding `{{H4504}}` requires acknowledging its place as the Aramaic equivalent, functioning within specific Aramaic biblical texts.
Other related concepts include:
* **Sacrificial terms**: `{{H2077}}` (zevach, "sacrifice" of animals), `{{H5930}}` (ʿōlāh, "burnt offering"). `{{H4504}}` stands apart as a non-animal offering, often accompanying these.
* **Terms for tribute or gift**: `{{H7862}}` (shay, "present," "gift") or `{{H4976}}` (mattânâh, "gift"). While `{{H4504}}` can function as a tribute, its etymological root often links it more directly to the act of "presenting" or "bringing."
The presence of `{{H4504}}` in Aramaic portions underscores the linguistic diversity within the biblical canon and the consistent theological concepts expressed across different Semitic languages.
### Theological Significance
Though limited in its occurrences, `{{H4504}}` carries significant theological weight. In [[Ezra 7:17]], its inclusion as a "meat offering" (grain offering) highlights the divine command for comprehensive worship, where the produce of the land, not just animal life, was consecrated to God. This emphasizes God's sovereignty over all creation and humanity's responsibility to offer back to Him from their sustenance. It also speaks to the meticulous nature of temple service and the provision made for it, even through the decree of a foreign king, demonstrating divine providence in the post-exilic restoration.
In [[Daniel 2:46]], the "oblation" offered to Daniel by Nebuchadnezzar, while directed to a human, is laden with religious overtones. It signifies the profound awe and recognition of divine power and revelation mediated through Daniel. This act, though by a pagan king, implicitly acknowledges the supremacy of Daniel's God, who alone could reveal such mysteries. It underscores the theme of God's universal sovereignty, compelling even the most powerful earthly rulers to acknowledge His ultimate authority and the wisdom He bestows upon His servants. Thus, `{{H4504}}` in these contexts points to acts of reverence, whether directed in prescribed worship to the Almighty or in awe-filled homage to His chosen instruments.
### Summary
The Aramaic word מִנְחָה (`{{H4504}}`) functions as the linguistic counterpart to the more common Hebrew `{{H4503}}`, denoting a "sacrificial offering" or "oblation." Its two biblical occurrences provide distinct yet complementary insights: in [[Ezra 7:17]], it specifies the grain offering component of temple worship, emphasizing the comprehensive nature of offerings to God; in [[Daniel 2:46]], it describes a profound act of homage and tribute offered to Daniel, signifying the recognition of divine power and wisdom manifested through him. Despite its rarity, `{{H4504}}` contributes to the broader biblical understanding of worship, reverence, and the acknowledgment of divine sovereignty, whether through prescribed cultic acts or through human responses to God's miraculous intervention.
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