מְעָא (me.ah)
me.ah
belly
A:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:N-M
Word Overview
The Aramaic noun me‘ah refers to the external belly or abdomen. It appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, serving as a descriptive term for Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel 2:32. In that vision, the statue’s midsection is described using this word, grounding the metaphorical image of empires in physical anatomy.
This term is the Aramaic equivalent of the Hebrew me‘eh (H4578). While the Hebrew form occurs more frequently to describe both literal bellies and metaphorical inner organs like the heart or womb, the Aramaic usage here remains strictly anatomical. It highlights the tangible, visible nature of the statue’s chest and stomach, emphasizing the concrete reality of the king’s dream rather than an internal emotional state.
Its solitary occurrence in Daniel underscores the book’s bilingual character, shifting between Hebrew and Aramaic as the narrative moves from Jewish to imperial contexts. By using a word for the outer abdomen, the text distinguishes the visible, worldly power of the statue from the spiritual kingdom that will eventually crush it.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word me'ah points to the visible midsection of a great statue in King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. It describes the physical belly and thighs made of bronze. This concrete image helps us understand how earthly powers appear strong and substantial to human eyes. The term grounds the vision in tangible reality, showing that these kingdoms have a defined place and structure.
For your faith, this reminds us that visible strength is not permanent. The bronze belly represents a powerful era, yet it is part of a larger picture destined to change. God’s kingdom ultimately supersedes all human empires. We can trust in His sovereignty even when worldly powers seem unshakable.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- belli<es>/ its1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מְע֥וֹ/הִי1×
Key Verses
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Daniel 2:32
As for this image, its head was of fine gold, its chest and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze,
This verse uses me'ah to describe the bronze midsection of the statue, anchoring the metaphor of earthly empire in a specific physical part of the vision.