מְחָא (me.ach)
me.ach
to smite
A:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb mecha carries the basic sense of striking or smiting, often with lethal force. In its simplest form, it describes a physical blow intended to kill or injure. This direct meaning appears in contexts where violence is explicit, grounding the word in tangible, bodily action rather than abstract metaphor.
However, the term takes on a distinct nuance when used in the Pael stem. Here, it shifts from inflicting harm to preventing it, meaning "to hinder" or "obstruct." This secondary usage appears in Ezra and Daniel, where it describes political or administrative interference that blocks the progress of building projects or religious duties.
Its rare occurrence—found in only three verses—highlights its specific utility. While most Hebrew words for violence are common, mecha’s appearance in Ezra underscores how "striking" can be metaphorical, representing the forceful interruption of divine work by human opposition.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word mecha describes a forceful strike, often with lethal intent. While it can refer to physical violence, its rare use in Ezra highlights a different kind of impact: obstruction. Here, it depicts those who try to halt the rebuilding of God’s temple through administrative interference. This reminds us that opposition to God’s work often comes not just from swords, but from laws, delays, and bureaucratic hurdles designed to stop progress.
In Daniel, the same root describes a stone cut without hands striking an image. This divine intervention shatters human empires instantly. The word underscores that no political decree or human power can ultimately withstand God’s sovereign plan. When we face obstacles in our faith, we are reminded that God’s timing and power exceed any earthly resistance.
This term invites trust in God’s ultimate victory. Whether the challenge is physical danger or bureaucratic delay, God sees the obstruction and acts. We find peace knowing that His purposes cannot be hindered by human opposition. His work will stand, even when it seems blocked by powerful forces.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- let him be impaled1×
- it struck1×
- and/ it struck1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מְחָ֣ת1×
- יִתְמְחֵ֣א1×
- וּ/מְחָ֤ת1×
Key Verses
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Ezra 6:11
I have also made a decree that whoever alters this message, let a beam be pulled out from his house, and let him be lifted up and fastened on it; and let his house be made a dunghill for this.
This verse uses the Pael stem to describe a decree that hinders or obstructs the rebuilding work, showing how political power can try to stop divine projects.
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Daniel 2:34
You saw until a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet that were of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces.
Here the stone strikes the image’s feet, demonstrating God’s sudden and decisive intervention against human kingdoms without human hands.
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Daniel 2:35
Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were broken in pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors. The wind carried them away, so that no place was found for them. The stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.
The result of the strike is total destruction of the empire, emphasizing that God’s kingdom will fill the earth while human powers vanish like chaff.