מְאָה (me.ah)
me.ah
hundred
A:NQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:N
Word Overview
The word me’ah is a numerical noun meaning “one hundred.” It appears only twice in the Hebrew Bible, both times within the Book of Ezra. In these contexts, it functions as a standard unit of counting for people or items, reflecting the administrative precision typical of post-exilic records.
This form is specifically Aramaic, serving as the equivalent of the more common Hebrew me’ah (H3967). While the Hebrew version dominates the Old Testament, Ezra contains significant Aramaic sections documenting the return from exile and the rebuilding efforts. The presence of this term highlights the linguistic shift in these chapters, where official correspondence and historical accounts are recorded in the imperial language rather than traditional Biblical Hebrew.
Translators consistently render it as “hundred” without variation, as its meaning is strictly quantitative. Its rarity underscores how specific vocabulary choices in Ezra signal changes in source material or genre, marking passages that likely originated from official Aramaic documents brought into Jerusalem.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word me’ah simply means “one hundred.” It appears only twice in the Hebrew Bible, both in the Book of Ezra. These verses record specific amounts of silver, grain, wine, and animals provided for the temple. The text uses this number to show the generosity and precision of the resources given to restore worship.
In our daily lives, we often deal with large numbers that feel abstract or distant. This word reminds us that God cares about the concrete details of provision. Whether it is a hundred talents of silver or a hundred bulls for sacrifice, the biblical record highlights how tangible gifts support spiritual renewal. We can trust that God provides what is needed for His work.
When we read these accounts, we see a community committed to restoring their relationship with God through practical means. The specific quantities reflect a serious and orderly approach to faith. This encourages us to value the resources we have and use them faithfully in our own contexts.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- one hundred5×
- two hundred1×
- hundred1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מְאָ֔ה3×
- מְאָ֑ה2×
- מָאתַ֔יִן1×
- מְאָה֒1×
Key Verses
-
Ezra 6:17
They offered at the dedication of this house of God one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve male goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.
This verse lists one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, and four hundred lambs to show the scale of the dedication offerings for the restored temple.
-
Ezra 7:22
up to one hundred talents of silver, and to one hundred cors of wheat, and to one hundred baths of wine, and to one hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much.
Here the word appears three times to specify the exact amounts of silver, wheat, wine, and oil King Artaxerxes provided for the temple service.