מוּג (mug)
mug
to melt
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 10 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb mug describes the physical process of melting or dissolving, often under the influence of heat. In the Old Testament, it carries a strong metaphorical weight, describing how fear or terror can cause people to lose their strength and composure. This usage appears frequently in narratives of battle and divine judgment, where the psychological impact of God’s presence is as tangible as fire on wax.
Its most striking occurrence is in Joshua 2:11, where Rahab tells the spies that the hearts of the Canaanites have "melted" because of Israel’s God. Here, mug captures a sudden collapse of courage rather than a slow decline. The word also appears in Amos 4:9 and Psalms 68:2, linking physical dissolution with spiritual defeat or divine power over enemies.
Translators often render mug as "melt," "faint," or "dissolve," depending on context. When applied to people, it suggests a loss of resolve; when applied to metals or ice, it describes literal phase changes. The verb’s consistency across genres highlights how ancient Hebrew thought saw physical and emotional states as deeply connected.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When we read that hearts melt, it is easy to think only of fear or defeat. Yet this Hebrew word, mug, describes a physical dissolution that reveals how deeply our inner state connects with the world around us. In Joshua 2:11, Rahab explains that the people of Canaan were not just scared; their resolve had completely dissolved before the power of God. This is not a slow fade but a sudden loss of strength when faced with something greater than ourselves.
For your faith, this offers a gentle reminder that we do not need to hold everything together by sheer willpower. When trouble mounts, as in Psalm 107:26 where the soul melts away, it is a natural human response to pressure. Recognizing this melting does not mean failure; it means acknowledging our limits so we can look toward the One who holds us steady when our own strength runs out.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 10 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- they have melted away3×
- they will melt away1×
- they will flow with [it]1×
- melt away1×
- it melted away1×
- it melted1×
- and/ you dissolve/ me1×
- and/ it melted1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- נָמֹ֛גוּ2×
- נָמ֖וֹג2×
- תִּתְמוֹגַֽגְנָה\׃1×
- תִתְמוֹגָֽג\׃1×
- נָמֹ֕גוּ1×
- נָמֹ֑גוּ1×
- וּ֝/תְמֹגְגֵ֗/נִי1×
- וַ/תָּמ֔וֹג1×
Key Verses
-
Amos 9:5
For the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, is he who touches the land and it melts, and all who dwell in it will mourn; and it will rise up wholly like the River, and will sink again, like the River of Egypt.
The land physically melts under God's touch, illustrating divine power over the earth's stability.