אַמְתַּ֫חַת (am.ta.chat)
am.ta.chat
sack
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 12 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The noun amtaḥat refers to a sack or bag, specifically a flexible container used for carrying goods like grain. With only twelve occurrences in the Hebrew Bible, it appears most frequently in the book of Genesis, where it plays a practical role in the daily life and trade of the patriarchs.
The word describes a vessel made of durable material, likely leather or woven fabric, designed to hold loose items securely. Its flexibility allowed it to be tied shut and carried on shoulders or animals, making it essential for storage and transport in an ancient agrarian society.
One notable instance occurs in Genesis 42:27, where Joseph’s brothers discover their money returned in the mouth of their sacks during a trip to Egypt. This detail highlights how these containers were not just utilitarian but also central to the narrative tension, serving as the hidden location for a surprising divine provision.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
Imagine the shock of a traveler opening their bag for the first time each morning, expecting only grain, but finding their own money waiting inside. This is the reality of the amtaḥat in Genesis. These were not just simple pouches; they were the secure containers of daily survival. When Joseph’s brothers discovered the silver returned in the mouth of their sacks, it was a moment of profound confusion and fear. They could not understand why God would intervene in such a practical, hidden way.
Yet this detail reveals how deeply God cares about the ordinary mechanics of our lives. He does not stay distant from the mundane tasks of buying food or packing supplies. Instead, He works within them. The same vessel that held their livelihood became the place where divine provision was quietly revealed. We can trust that God sees the small details of our routine and uses them to sustain us, even when we do not expect it.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 12 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- sack/ his5×
- sacks/ our2×
- in/ sacks/ our2×
- sacks/ your1×
- in/ sacks/ your1×
- in/ sack/ my1×
- in/ [the] sack of1×
- [the] sacks of1×
- [the] sack of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- אַמְתַּחְתּֽ/וֹ\׃3×
- אַמְתְּחֹתֵ֔י/נוּ2×
- בְּ/אַמְתַּ֖חַת1×
- בְּ/אַמְתְּחֹתֵֽי/נוּ\׃1×
- בְּ/אַמְתְּחֹתֵ֙י/נוּ֙1×
- בְּ/אַמְתְּחֹ֣תֵי/כֶ֔ם1×
- בְ/אַמְתַּחְתִּ֑/י1×
- אַמְתַּחְתּ֖/וֹ1×
- אַמְתַּחְתּ֔/וֹ1×
- אַמְתַּ֣חַת1×
- אַמְתְּחֹֽתֵי/כֶם֙1×
- אַמְתְּחֹ֤ת1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 42:27
As one of them opened his sack to give his donkey food in the lodging place, he saw his money. Behold, it was in the mouth of his sack.
This verse captures the moment of discovery where the sack serves as the unexpected vessel for divine provision, shifting the brothers from routine to awe.
-
Genesis 43:23
He said, “Peace be to you. Don’t be afraid. Your God, and the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks. I received your money.” He brought Simeon out to them.
The steward interprets the returned money not as theft but as a gift, showing how the amtaḥat can be reinterpreted from a source of fear to a sign of peace.
-
Genesis 44:12
He searched, beginning with the oldest, and ending at the youngest. The cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.
The cup found in Benjamin’s sack demonstrates how the same container used for grain becomes the focal point of a test of character and family loyalty.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does amtaḥat mean in the Bible?
Why is this word significant in the story of Joseph?
How is amtaḥat different from other words for bag?
Every Occurrence (12 verses across 1 books)
Genesis 12 verses
As one of them opened his sack to give his donkey food in the lodging place, he saw his money. Behold, it was in the…
Genesis 42:28He said to his brothers, “My money is restored! Behold, it is in my sack!” Their hearts failed them, and they turned…
Genesis 43:12and take double money in your hand, and take back the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it…
Genesis 43:18The men were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph’s house; and they said, “Because of the money that was…
Genesis 43:21When we came to the lodging place, we opened our sacks, and behold, each man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our…
Genesis 43:22We have brought down other money in our hand to buy food. We don’t know who put our money in our sacks.”
Genesis 43:23He said, “Peace be to you. Don’t be afraid. Your God, and the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks.…
Genesis 44:1He commanded the steward of his house, saying, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each…
Genesis 44:2Put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack’s mouth of the youngest, with his grain money.” He did according to the word…
Genesis 44:8Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks’ mouths, we brought again to you out of the land of Canaan. How then…
Genesis 44:11Then they hurried, and each man took his sack down to the ground, and each man opened his sack.
Genesis 44:12He searched, beginning with the oldest, and ending at the youngest. The cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.