מְכִתָּה (me.khit.tah)
me.khit.tah
fragment
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun mekittah refers to crushed or pulverized fragments, typically describing small pieces resulting from something being broken apart. It appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, in Isaiah 30:14, where it depicts shards of pottery that have been smashed beyond repair.
In this context, the word emphasizes the totality of destruction. The prophet uses the image of a vessel shattered into tiny, uncollectible pieces to illustrate how Judah’s reliance on foreign alliances has left them without hope or cohesion. The term conveys not just a break, but a complete disintegration into unusable bits.
Its singular occurrence highlights the finality of divine judgment in this passage. Unlike terms for simple cracks or separations, mekittah suggests a state where restoration is impossible, serving as a stark visual metaphor for spiritual and political collapse.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
Isaiah 30:14 uses a striking image to describe the result of trusting in human strength instead of God. The word mekittah describes pottery smashed so thoroughly that not even a single shard remains useful for carrying water or starting a fire. It is a picture of total disintegration, where no part is left intact enough to serve any purpose.
When life feels like it is falling apart, this verse reminds us that our own plans can shatter if they are not grounded in the Lord. The prophet warns against seeking safety in foreign alliances or human wisdom alone. Instead, he points to a quiet trust in God as the only true stability. Even when circumstances seem hopeless and broken, there is a deeper hope found in turning back to Him.
This imagery invites us to examine where we place our confidence. Are we relying on fragile structures that might break under pressure? The text suggests that true security comes not from our own strength, but from aligning ourselves with the Creator who holds all things together. It is a call to rest in His sovereignty rather than striving for control.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- among/ fragment[s]/ its1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- בִ/מְכִתָּת/וֹ֙1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 30:14
He will break it as a potter’s vessel is broken, breaking it in pieces without sparing, so that there won’t be found among the broken pieces a piece good enough to take fire from the hearth, or to dip up water out of the cistern.”
This verse uses mekittah to show that Judah's reliance on political alliances will result in total, irreparable destruction where no useful piece remains.