Strong's Lexicon maat: To diminish, to be few, to be small, to be reduced Original Word: מָעַט Word Origin: A primitive root Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: - G1642 (ἐλαττόω, elattoō): To make less, to diminish - G3398 (μικρός, mikros): Small, little Usage: The Hebrew verb "maat" primarily conveys the idea of reduction or decrease in quantity, size, or significance. It is often used in contexts where something is being diminished or made less, whether in terms of numbers, strength, or importance. This can apply to physical objects, people, or abstract concepts like power or influence. Cultural and Historical Background: In the ancient Near Eastern context, the concept of diminishing or reducing was significant in various aspects of life, including agriculture, population, and military strength. The Israelites, like other ancient peoples, were acutely aware of the cycles of abundance and scarcity, and the verb "maat" would have resonated with their experiences of both divine blessing and judgment. The reduction of numbers or strength could be seen as a sign of divine displeasure or as a natural consequence of human actions. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to be or become small, diminished, or few NASB Translation bring to nothing (1), decrease (2), diminish (2), diminished (2), dwindles (1), few (2), fewness (1), get a few (1), give less (1), had little (1), least (1), little (1), make so small (1), pay less (1), reduce (1), seem insignificant (1), small (1), take less (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [מָעַט] verb be or become small, diminished, few (Late Hebrew, Talmud, id.; Arabic Qal Imperfect יִמְעַט Exodus 12:4, 2masculine plural תִּמְעָ֑טוּ Jeremiah 29:6, 3masculine plural יִמְעָ֑טוּ Isaiah 21:17 +, וַיִּמְעֲטוּ Psalm 107:39; Infinitive מְעֹט Leviticus 25:16; — Exodus 12:4 אִסיִֿמְעַט הַבַּיִת מִהְיוֺת מִשֶּׂה if the house be too small for a lamb; Nehemiah 9:32 אַליִֿמְעַט לְפָנֶיךָ אֵת כָּלהַֿתְּלָאָה (compare Ges§ 117l); of a people, Jeremiah 29:6 וּרְבוּ שָׁם וְאַלתִּֿמְעָ֑טוּ and become not few, Jeremiah 30:19 וְהִרְבִּתִים וְלֹא יִמְעָ֔טוּ, Isaiah 21:17; Psalm 107:39; Proverbs 13:11 הוֺן מֵהֶבֶל יִמְעָ֑ט diminishes (opposed to יַרְבֶּה); Leviticus 25:16 וּלְפִי מְעֹט הַשָּׁנִים according to the fewness of the years. Pi`el become few (Ges§ 52k), Perfect3plural Ecclesiastes 12:3 וּבָֽטְלוּ הַטֹּחֲנוֺת כִּי מִעֵ֔טוּ. Hiph`il Perfect3feminine singular consecutive וְהִמְעִ֫יטָה (Ges§ 49k), Leviticus 26:22, 1singular with suffix וְהִמְעַטְתִּים Ezekiel 29:15; Imperfect2masculine singular תַּמְעִיט Leviticus 25:16, תַּמְעִטֵ֫נִי Jeremiah 10:34, 2feminine singular תַּמְעִ֫יטִי 2 Kings 4:3, etc.; — make small or few, diminish: a. Leviticus 26:22 (of the sword) וְהִמְעִ֫יטָה אֶתְכֶם, Ezekiel 29:15 וְהִמְעַטְתִּים, Jeremiah 10:24 אַלבְּֿאַמְּךָ מֶּןֿ תַּמְעִטֵנִי lest thou make me (the people) small, Psalm 107:38 וּבְהֶמְתָּם לֹא יַמְעִיט; Leviticus 25:16 וּלְפִי מְעֹט הַשָּׁנִים תַּמְעִיט מִקְנָתוֺ according to the smallness (fewness) of the years, thou shalt make small its price, Numbers 26:54 לָרַב תַּרְבֶּה נַחֲלָתוֺ וְלַמְעַט תַּמְעִיט נַחֲלָתוֺ and to the small (few) thou shalt make small his inheritance (so Numbers 33:54). b. qualifying an action (sometimes to be understood from the context), Exodus 16:17 וַיִּלְקְטוּ הַמַּרְבֶּה וְהַמַּמְעִיט and they gathered, he that made much, and he that made little (that is לִלְקֹט), Exodus 16:18; Numbers 11:32 עשׂרה חמרים הממעיט אסף, 2 Kings 4:3 כֵּלִים רֵקִים אַלתַּֿמְעִיטִי empty vessels make not few (that is, in borrowing); Exodus 30:15 הֶעָשִׁיר לֹא יַרְבֶּה וְהַדַּל לֹא יַמְעִיט מִמַּחֲצִית הַשָּׁ֑קֶל ׳לָתֵת וגו shall not diminish from the half shekel to give, i.e. shall not give less, Numbers 35:8 מֵאֵת הָרַב תַּרְבּוּ וּמֵאֵת הַמְעַט תַּמְעִיטוּ and from the few ye shall make few (that is לָתֵת), i.e. ye shall give few (cities). Strong's Exhaustive Concordance suffer to decrease, diminish, borrow, giveA primitive root; properly, to pare off, i.e. Lessen; intransitively, to be (or causatively, to make) small or few (or figuratively, ineffective) -- suffer to decrease, diminish, (be, X borrow a, give, make) few (in number, -ness), gather least (little), be (seem) little, (X give the) less, be minished, bring to nothing. Forms and Transliterations הַמַּמְעִ֕יט הממעיט וְהִ֨מְעַטְתִּ֔ים וְהִמְעִ֖יטָה וְהַמַּמְעִ֖יט וְהַמַּמְעִֽיט׃ וַיִּמְעֲט֥וּ והממעיט והממעיט׃ והמעטתים והמעיטה וימעטו יִמְעַ֣ט יִמְעָ֑ט יִמְעָ֑טוּ יִמְעָ֔טוּ יַמְעִ֔יט יַמְעִֽיט׃ ימעט ימעטו ימעיט ימעיט׃ מְעֹ֣ט מעט תִּמְעָֽטוּ׃ תַּמְעִ֑יטוּ תַּמְעִ֖יט תַּמְעִ֣יט תַּמְעִֽיטִי׃ תַּמְעִטֵֽנִי׃ תמעטו׃ תמעטני׃ תמעיט תמעיטו תמעיטי׃ ham·mam·‘îṭ hammam‘îṭ hammamIt mə‘ōṭ mə·‘ōṭ meOt tam‘îṭ tam‘iṭênî tam‘îṭî tam‘îṭū tam·‘i·ṭê·nî tam·‘î·ṭî tam·‘î·ṭū tam·‘îṭ tamIt tamiTeni tamIti tamItu tim‘āṭū tim·‘ā·ṭū timAtu vaiyimaTu vehammamIt veHimatTim vehimItah way·yim·‘ă·ṭū wayyim‘ăṭū wə·ham·mam·‘îṭ wə·him·‘aṭ·tîm wə·him·‘î·ṭāh wəhammam‘îṭ wəhim‘aṭtîm wəhim‘îṭāh yam‘îṭ yam·‘îṭ yamIt yim‘aṭ yim‘āṭ yim‘āṭū yim·‘ā·ṭū yim·‘aṭ yim·‘āṭ yimAt yimAtuLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Exodus 12:4 HEB: וְאִם־ יִמְעַ֣ט הַבַּיִת֮ מִהְיֹ֣ת NAS: is too small for a lamb, KJV: be too little for the lamb, INT: now if small the household be Exodus 16:17 Exodus 16:18 Exodus 30:15 Leviticus 25:16 Leviticus 25:16 Leviticus 26:22 Numbers 11:32 Numbers 26:54 Numbers 33:54 Numbers 35:8 2 Kings 4:3 Nehemiah 9:32 Psalm 107:38 Psalm 107:39 Proverbs 13:11 Isaiah 21:17 Jeremiah 10:24 Jeremiah 29:6 Jeremiah 30:19 Ezekiel 29:15 21 Occurrences |