מוּת (mut)
mut
to die
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 634 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb mut simply means to die, covering everything from natural passing to execution. It appears over six hundred times in the Old Testament, establishing death as a central reality in biblical narrative. The basic form describes the end of life for individuals or entire nations, such as when the text records that all flesh on dry land died during the flood (Genesis 7:22).
Its meaning expands through different grammatical patterns. The intensive forms can mean to kill someone, while other constructions warn against dying prematurely by ignoring wise conduct. This flexibility allows the word to carry weight in legal codes and moral warnings alike. Translators often render it as "die" or "death," but the Hebrew root captures the full spectrum of life’s end, whether by age, accident, or judgment.
The word’s presence in Genesis 2:17 marks its theological importance from the start. When God warns that eating from the tree will result in death, mut introduces the consequence that shapes human history. Its frequent use in historical books like Samuel and Numbers shows how closely tied life and law were in ancient Israel. The term remains a stark reminder of mortality without adding extra philosophical layers.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word mut simply means to die, appearing over six hundred times in the Old Testament. It covers natural passing, execution, and judgment. In Genesis 2:17, God warns that eating from the tree will result in death. This moment introduces mortality as a central reality for humanity.
This word reminds us that life is finite. From Adam to Noah, the text records when each person died. It does not add philosophical layers but states a stark fact. Recognizing this finitude helps us value our time and trust in God’s sovereignty over life and death.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 634 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ he died119×
- he will be put to death42×
- certainly <to die>42×
- he will die32×
- you will die31×
- to/ die22×
- they will die21×
- and/ he will die21×
- he had died16×
- he has died14×
- they will be put to death11×
- and/ they will die11×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מ֥וֹת24×
- וַ/יָּ֣מָת18×
- וַ/יָּ֖מָת18×
- יוּמָֽת\׃17×
- וַ/יָּ֥מָת15×
- מֵ֣ת14×
- מ֣וֹת13×
- וַ/יָּמֹֽת\׃11×
- וַ/יָּמֹ֑ת11×
- מֵֽת\׃9×
- וַ/יָּמֹֽת\׃\ \ס9×
- וַ/יָּ֕מָת9×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 2:17
but you shall not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; for in the day that you eat of it, you will surely die.”
This verse establishes death as the direct consequence of disobeying God's command, setting the stage for human history.
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Genesis 5:5
All the days that Adam lived were nine hundred thirty years, then he died.
The repeated phrase 'then he died' after long lifespans underscores the universal reality of mortality across generations.
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Genesis 7:22
All on the dry land, in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, died.
This verse describes the total destruction of life on dry land during the flood, showing death as a comprehensive judgment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Hebrew word mut mean?
Where does mut appear first in the Bible?
How is mut different from other words for death?
Every Occurrence (634 verses across 27 books)
Genesis 72 verses
but you shall not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; for in the day that you eat of it, you will surely…
Genesis 3:3but not the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden. God has said, ‘You shall not eat of it. You shall…
Genesis 3:4The serpent said to the woman, “You won’t really die,
Genesis 5:5All the days that Adam lived were nine hundred thirty years, then he died.
Genesis 5:8All of the days of Seth were nine hundred twelve years, then he died.
Genesis 5:11All of the days of Enosh were nine hundred five years, then he died.
Genesis 5:14and all of the days of Kenan were nine hundred ten years, then he died.
Genesis 5:17All of the days of Mahalalel were eight hundred ninety-five years, then he died.
Genesis 5:20All of the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty-two years, then he died.
Genesis 5:27All the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty-nine years, then he died.
Genesis 5:31All the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy-seven years, then he died.
Genesis 7:22All on the dry land, in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, died.
Genesis 9:29All the days of Noah were nine hundred fifty years, and then he died.
Genesis 11:28Haran died in the land of his birth, in Ur of the Chaldees, while his father Terah was still alive.
Genesis 11:32The days of Terah were two hundred five years. Terah died in Haran.
Genesis 18:25May it be far from you to do things like that, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be…
Genesis 19:19See now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have magnified your loving kindness, which you have shown…
Genesis 20:3But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man, because of the woman…
Genesis 20:7Now therefore, restore the man’s wife. For he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will live. If you don’t…
Genesis 23:2Sarah died in Kiriath Arba (also called Hebron), in the land of Canaan. Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep…
Genesis 23:3Abraham rose up from before his dead and spoke to the children of Heth, saying,
Genesis 23:4“I am a stranger and a foreigner living with you. Give me a possession of a burying-place with you, that I may bury my…
Genesis 23:6“Hear us, my lord. You are a prince of God among us. Bury your dead in the best of our tombs. None of us will withhold…
Genesis 23:8He talked with them, saying, “If you agree that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me to…
Genesis 23:11“No, my lord, hear me. I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. In the presence of the children of…
Genesis 23:13He spoke to Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, “But if you will, please hear me. I will give the…
Genesis 23:15“My lord, listen to me. What is a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver between me and you? Therefore bury…
Genesis 25:8Abraham gave up his spirit, and died at a good old age, an old man, and full of years, and was gathered to his people.
Genesis 25:17These are the years of the life of Ishmael: one hundred thirty-seven years. He gave up his spirit and died, and was…
Genesis 25:32Esau said, “Behold, I am about to die. What good is the birthright to me?”
Genesis 26:9Abimelech called Isaac, and said, “Behold, surely she is your wife. Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’?” Isaac said to…
Genesis 26:11Abimelech commanded all the people, saying, “He who touches this man or his wife will surely be put to death.”
Genesis 27:4Make me savory food, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat, and that my soul may bless you before I die.”
Genesis 30:1When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children, or…
Genesis 33:13Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are tender, and that the flocks and herds with me have their young,…
Genesis 35:8Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died, and she was buried below Bethel under the oak; and its name was called Allon Bacuth.
Genesis 35:18As her soul was departing (for she died), she named him Benoni, but his father named him Benjamin.
Genesis 35:19Rachel died, and was buried on the way to Ephrath (also called Bethlehem).
Genesis 35:29Isaac gave up the spirit and died, and was gathered to his people, old and full of days. Esau and Jacob, his sons,…
Genesis 36:33Bela died, and Jobab, the son of Zerah of Bozrah, reigned in his place.
Genesis 36:34Jobab died, and Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his place.
Genesis 36:35Husham died, and Hadad, the son of Bedad, who struck Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his place. The name of his…
Genesis 36:36Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his place.
Genesis 36:37Samlah died, and Shaul of Rehoboth by the river, reigned in his place.
Genesis 36:38Shaul died, and Baal Hanan the son of Achbor reigned in his place.
Genesis 36:39Baal Hanan the son of Achbor died, and Hadar reigned in his place. The name of his city was Pau. His wife’s name was…
Genesis 37:18They saw him afar off, and before he came near to them, they conspired against him to kill him.
Genesis 38:7Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in Yahweh’s sight. So Yahweh killed him.
Genesis 38:10The thing which he did was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and he killed him also.
Genesis 38:11Then Judah said to Tamar, his daughter-in-law, “Remain a widow in your father’s house, until Shelah, my son, is grown…
Genesis 38:12After many days, Shua’s daughter, the wife of Judah, died. Judah was comforted, and went up to his sheep shearers to…
Genesis 42:2He said, “Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there, and buy for us from there, so that we may…
Genesis 42:20Bring your youngest brother to me; so will your words be verified, and you won’t die.” They did so.
Genesis 42:37Reuben spoke to his father, saying, “Kill my two sons, if I don’t bring him to you. Entrust him to my care, and I will…
Genesis 42:38He said, “My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he only is left. If harm happens to him along…
Genesis 43:8Judah said to Israel, his father, “Send the boy with me, and we’ll get up and go, so that we may live, and not die,…
Genesis 44:9With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves.”
Genesis 44:20We said to my lord, ‘We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead,…
Genesis 44:22We said to my lord, ‘The boy can’t leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.’
Genesis 44:31it will happen, when he sees that the boy is no more, that he will die. Your servants will bring down the gray hairs of…
Genesis 45:28Israel said, “It is enough. Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”
Genesis 46:12The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah; but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. The sons of Perez…
Genesis 46:30Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die, since I have seen your face, that you are still alive.”
Genesis 47:15When the money was all spent in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph, and…
Genesis 47:19Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be…
Genesis 47:29The time came near that Israel must die, and he called his son Joseph, and said to him, “If now I have found favor in…
Genesis 48:7As for me, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died beside me in the land of Canaan on the way, when there was still some…
Genesis 48:21Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am dying, but God will be with you, and bring you again to the land of your fathers.
Genesis 50:5‘My father made me swear, saying, “Behold, I am dying. Bury me in my grave which I have dug for myself in the land of…
Genesis 50:15When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us, and will fully…
Genesis 50:24Joseph said to his brothers, “I am dying, but God will surely visit you, and bring you up out of this land to the land…
Genesis 50:26So Joseph died, being one hundred ten years old, and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.