### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **mâqaq**, represented by `{{H4743}}`, is a primitive root meaning to melt. Figuratively, it conveys the ideas of flowing, dwindling, vanishing, or being corrupt; it is often translated as to **consume away**, dissolve, or **pine away**. This term appears **10 times** across **7 unique verses** in the Bible, highlighting its specific use in contexts of decay and judgment.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In biblical usage, `{{H4743}}` consistently describes a state of decay resulting from sin or divine judgment. It is used to depict the consequences of disobedience, where the people are forewarned that they will **pine away** in their iniquity in their enemies' lands [[Leviticus 26:39]]. This theme is echoed in Ezekiel, where the people lament that they **pine away** in their transgressions and sins [[Ezekiel 33:10]]. The word also carries a graphic, physical meaning, as seen in the prophecy against Jerusalem's enemies, whose flesh, eyes, and tongues will **consume away** as part of a divine plague [[Zechariah 14:12]]. On a cosmic scale, it describes the eschatological judgment when the "host of heaven shall be **dissolved**" [[Isaiah 34:4]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words illuminate the contexts in which `{{H4743}}` is found:
* `{{H5771}}` **ʻâvôn** (perversity, i.e. (moral) evil; fault, iniquity, mischeif, punishment (of iniquity), sin): This word is frequently the direct cause of the state described by **mâqaq**. For example, the people are said to **pine away** for their iniquities [[Ezekiel 24:23]].
* `{{H4046}}` **maggêphâh** (a pestilence; by analogy, defeat; ([idiom] be) plague(-d), slaughter, stroke): This term is used for the divine affliction that causes the "consuming away" of the body, as seen in the judgment where a **plague** from the LORD causes flesh to consume away [[Zechariah 14:12]].
* `{{H1320}}` **bâsâr** (flesh (from its freshness); by extension, body, person): This word for the physical body is often the subject of the verb **mâqaq**, emphasizing the tangible, bodily decay that results from judgment. A prophecy states that the **flesh** of Jerusalem's enemies will consume away [[Zechariah 14:12]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H4743}}` is significant, illustrating several key principles.
* **The Inevitable Consequence of Sin:** The word is repeatedly used to show that iniquity leads to a state of slow decay and ruin. This is not just a punishment but a direct outcome, as people **pine away** in their iniquities [[Leviticus 26:39]] or **consume away** for their iniquity [[Ezekiel 4:17]].
* **Divine Judgment Manifested Physically:** **Mâqaq** demonstrates that God's judgment is not an abstract concept but can have tangible, physical effects. This is seen most graphically in the plague that causes body parts to **consume away** [[Zechariah 14:12]] and in the psalmist's declaration that his wounds are **corrupt** because of his foolishness [[Psalms 38:5]].
* **Cosmic and Personal Corruption:** The term is applied at both the most personal and the most cosmic levels. It can describe an individual's corrupt wounds [[Psalms 38:5]] or the ultimate dissolution of the "host of heaven" during the final judgment [[Isaiah 34:4]], linking all forms of decay to a state of disorder.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H4743}}` provides a potent depiction of decay and dissolution in Scripture. It moves beyond a simple definition of "melting" to become a theological descriptor for the corrosive effects of sin and the tangible reality of divine judgment. Whether describing an individual pining away in exile, the physical decomposition of a body under a plague, or the unraveling of the cosmos, **mâqaq** serves as a stark reminder of the consuming consequences of iniquity.
TRV