### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **mâthôwq**, represented by `{{H4966}}`, describes that which is **sweet**. It appears **12 times** in **11 unique verses**, and its meaning extends from a literal taste to a metaphorical sense of pleasantness and goodness. The word can be translated as sweet, sweeter, or sweetness, depending on the context.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In biblical application, `{{H4966}}` is used both literally and figuratively. It is frequently associated with honey, as seen when God's word in Ezekiel's roll was in his mouth as **honey** `{{H1706}}` for **sweetness** [[Ezekiel 3:3]]. Samson's riddle asks what is **sweeter** than honey [[Judges 14:18]]. The word also describes the **sweet** fruit of the apple tree [[Song of Solomon 2:3]] and the **sweet** sleep of a labouring man [[Ecclesiastes 5:12]]. In a critical moral teaching, Isaiah pronounces **woe** `{{H1945}}` on those who put **bitter** `{{H4751}}` for **sweet** `{{H4966}}`, using the term to represent what is good and true [[Isaiah 5:20]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help illustrate the concept of sweetness and its counterparts:
* `{{H1706}}` **dᵉbash** (honey): This is the most common substance described as sweet. The land promised to Israel is described as flowing with milk and **honey** [[Exodus 3:8]].
* `{{H4751}}` **mar** (bitter): This word is the direct antonym to **mâthôwq**. It is used in contexts of great sorrow or discontent, and in [[Isaiah 5:20]] it is contrasted with **sweet** to define moral opposites.
* `{{H2441}}` **chêk** (taste): This refers to the palate or mouth and is the faculty through which sweetness is perceived. The fruit of the beloved was **sweet** to the **taste** [[Song of Solomon 2:3]].
* `{{H5278}}` **nôʻam** (pleasantness): This describes an agreeable quality. **Pleasant** words are compared to a honeycomb, **sweet** `{{H4966}}` to the soul [[Proverbs 16:24]].
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of `{{H4966}}` lies in its metaphorical use to describe divine things.
* **The Goodness of God's Word:** The commandments of the Lord are more desirable than **fine gold** `{{H6337}}` and **sweeter** than **honey** `{{H1706}}` and the honeycomb [[Psalms 19:10]]. This elevates the experience of God's law to the highest form of pleasure.
* **The Nature of Wisdom:** Pleasant words, a product of wisdom, are described as **sweet** `{{H4966}}` to the soul and bring **health** `{{H4832}}` to the bones [[Proverbs 16:24]], linking spiritual sweetness to physical well-being.
* **Moral and Spiritual Truth:** The term defines moral goodness in stark contrast to evil. Isaiah warns against the corruption of calling good evil or putting **sweet** for **bitter** [[Isaiah 5:20]], establishing sweetness as a metaphor for divine order and truth.
* **The Experience of God's Blessings:** The experience of God's creation, such as light, is described as **sweet** [[Ecclesiastes 11:7]], and a hungry soul finds even a **bitter thing** to be **sweet** [[Proverbs 27:7]], illustrating how need and perspective shape one's experience of what is good.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H4966}}` **mâthôwq** transcends its simple definition of a physical taste. While it literally describes the flavor of honey and fruit, it is elevated in Scripture to represent the pleasantness of God's words, the value of wisdom, the nature of moral good, and the joy of divine blessings. The word illustrates how a basic sensory experience can be used to communicate deep spiritual and theological truths.
TRV