Word Study for H3984 (מָאן) | Strong's Concordance

mâʼn /mawn/ Ask about this word

Root(Aramaic) probably from a root corresponding to אָנָה in the sense of an inclosure by sides

Meaninga utensil

KJV usagevessel.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of mâʼn — 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 mâʼn, represented by H3984, refers to a utensil or vessel. It appears 7 times across 7 unique verses in the Bible. In every instance, it specifically denotes the sacred vessels belonging to the house of God, highlighting their significance in the context of worship and divine honor.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The biblical narrative consistently tracks the status of these holy items. They are first mentioned as the "golden and silver vessels" that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem Daniel 5:2. The story reaches a dramatic climax with his successor, Belshazzar, who commands these same vessels to be brought out for a feast. In an act of profound disrespect, he and his court drink wine from them, profaning what was dedicated to God Daniel 5:3. This act of sacrilege is a central part of his judgment Daniel 5:23. Later, the book of Ezra details the restoration of these vessels, as King Cyrus orders them to be taken from Babylon and returned to their proper place in the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem (Ezra 5:14, Ezra 6:5).

Related Words & Concepts

The story surrounding the vessels of H3984 is framed by words describing acts of hubris and worship:

H7313 rûwm: This word, meaning to extol or lift up, is used to describe Belshazzar's sin, where he "lifted up" himself against the Lord of heaven by misusing the sacred vessels Daniel 5:23.
H7624 shᵉbach: Meaning to praise or adore, this action is directed incorrectly by Belshazzar. He praised the gods of gold and silver after drinking from the Lord's vessels Daniel 5:23.
H1922 hădar: This term for glorify or honour marks the sin of omission. While praising idols, Belshazzar failed to have glorified the God in whose hand his breath was Daniel 5:23.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H3984 is tied to the concepts of sanctity and sacrilege.

Sanctity of Dedicated Objects: The vessels were not mere utensils; they were set apart for "the service of the house of thy God" Ezra 7:19. Their story illustrates that items consecrated to God carry a special status and are to be treated with honor.
The Sin of Profanation: Belshazzar's judgment was not simply for idolatry, but for the specific act of profaning holy things. He used the instruments of worship to praise false gods, a direct affront to the God of Israel Daniel 5:23.
Divine Sovereignty and Restoration: The return of the vessels to Jerusalem symbolizes God's sovereign power to restore what was taken and to re-establish proper worship. The command to "place them in the house of God" underscores the theme of returning things to their rightful, holy purpose Ezra 6:5.

Summary

In summary, H3984 is a word that, while simply meaning vessel, carries immense narrative and theological importance. It represents the sanctity of what is dedicated to God. The journey of these specific vessels—from their place in the temple, to their desecration in Babylon, and their eventual restoration—serves as a powerful lesson on the gravity of profaning the holy and the ultimate sovereignty of God in restoring divine order.

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 7 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.

מָאנַיָּ
מָאנֵי

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 7 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Ezra (4 verses); 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.