מָהַל (ma.hal)
ma.hal
to weaken
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb mahal carries the core meaning of weakening or cutting down. In the Old Testament, it is used only once, appearing in Isaiah 1:22 to describe the moral decline of Jerusalem’s leaders. The word suggests a process of becoming feeble or diminished, moving from strength to a state of vulnerability.
Lexical sources note that mahal can literally mean to circumcise or cut down, but here it functions figuratively. The prophet uses this term to contrast the city’s former glory with its current weakened state. Instead of being strong and upright, the leaders have become morally frail, unable to uphold justice.
This single usage highlights how physical acts like cutting can symbolize spiritual loss. The word paints a picture of integrity eroding over time. By choosing mahal, Isaiah emphasizes that the corruption was not sudden but a gradual weakening of the community’s foundational strength.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word ma.hal describes a slow process of weakening or becoming feeble. In Isaiah 1:22, it paints a picture of Jerusalem’s leaders losing their moral strength over time. Their integrity did not vanish overnight; instead, it eroded gradually, leaving them vulnerable and unable to uphold justice.
This word reminds us that spiritual decline often happens in small steps. It is easy to overlook minor compromises until they accumulate into significant weakness. By recognizing this pattern, we can guard our own hearts against the slow drift away from truth and righteousness.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- [has been] mixed1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מָה֥וּל1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 1:22
Your silver has become dross, your wine mixed with water.
This verse uses the word to describe how Jerusalem's leaders gradually lost their moral strength, turning from silver to dross.