### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **mâthach**, represented by `{{H4969}}`, is a primitive root meaning **to stretch out; spread out**. It is a highly specific term, appearing only **1 time** in **1 unique verse** in the Bible. Its singular use powerfully illustrates an act of divine creation.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The sole appearance of `{{H4969}}` is in [[Isaiah 40:22]], a passage describing God's majesty and power over creation. The verse depicts God as the one who "spreadeth them out" in reference to the heavens, comparing this action to spreading a tent to live in. This imagery emphasizes not only the vastness of God's creative act but also its purpose: to establish a habitation. The word is used in parallel with "stretcheth out" `{{H5186}}` to reinforce the scale of this cosmic act.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words in the same passage expand upon the concept of God's creative authority:
* `{{H5186}}` **nâṭâh** (to stretch or spread out): This word is used immediately before `{{H4969}}` in [[Isaiah 40:22]], creating a powerful parallel description of God shaping the heavens. It is also used elsewhere to describe God's creative power, as in his "outstretched arm" [[Jeremiah 27:5]].
* `{{H3427}}` **yâshab** (to sit down... to dwell, to remain): The purpose of spreading out `{{H4969}}` the heavens as a tent is explicitly "to dwell in" `{{H3427}}`. This same word is used at the beginning of [[Isaiah 40:22]] to describe God as the one who "sitteth" above the earth, linking his creative act to his sovereign position.
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H4969}}` is derived from its unique and powerful context.
* **Divine Creatorship:** The word is used exclusively to portray God as the architect of the cosmos. Spreading out the heavens like a tent is an image of effortless and absolute power over the created order [[Isaiah 40:22]].
* **Purposeful Creation:** The act of spreading is not arbitrary but is done to create a tent "to dwell in" `{{H3427}}`. This highlights the biblical theme that God's creation is purposeful, intended as a place of habitation.
* **God's Sovereignty:** The one who spreads out the heavens `{{H4969}}` is the same one who "sitteth" `{{H3427}}` enthroned above them. The word, therefore, contributes to the overall picture of God's supreme authority and rule over all that He has made.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H4969}}` is a rare but significant word that captures a specific aspect of God's creative power. In its single biblical use, it conveys the immense scale and intentionality of God's work in forming the heavens. It functions as a vivid metaphor for divine might, showing how God establishes the universe not only as a display of his majesty but also as a purposeful space over which He reigns.
TRV