מַפֵּץ (map.pets)
map.pets
war-club
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 mapets refers to a heavy war club or mace, a weapon designed for blunt force trauma rather than cutting. Its literal meaning is "a shatterer," which perfectly describes its function: to crush armor and bone through sheer impact. This etymology highlights the terrifying efficiency of ancient siege warfare, where weapons were named for their destructive outcome.
Scripture uses this term sparingly, appearing only once in Jeremiah 51:20. There, it is part of a poetic list of instruments of war—alongside plowshares and axes—that Babylon employs to destroy nations. The image is visceral; the mapets is not a tool for construction but for breaking apart the foundations of enemy cities.
Translators often render it as "hammer" or "battle axe" depending on context, though "war club" captures the crushing nature best. In Jeremiah, the weapon symbolizes God’s judgment executed through human agents. The word serves as a stark reminder of the physical reality of divine wrath in the ancient world.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word mapets describes a heavy war club or mace, designed to crush rather than cut. It appears only once in Scripture, in Jeremiah 51:20. Here it joins other weapons like battle axes as instruments of judgment against Babylon. The image is stark and visceral, reminding us that God’s justice can be as forceful as ancient warfare.
For your faith, this word grounds the reality of divine action in history. It shows that God uses real tools and events to accomplish His purposes. You do not need to fear this power; it serves His righteous plan. Trust that He holds all forces, even those meant for destruction, under His sovereign control.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- [are] a war-club1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מַפֵּץ\־1×
Key Verses
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Jeremiah 51:20
“You are my battle ax and weapons of war. With you I will break the nations into pieces. With you I will destroy kingdoms.
This verse lists the mapets among Babylon's weapons to show how God uses earthly powers to execute judgment on proud empires.