מָצָה (ma.tsah)
ma.tsah
to drain
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 5 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb matsah means to drain or drain out liquid completely. In the Old Testament, it describes the physical act of emptying a vessel or allowing fluid to flow away until nothing remains. This concrete imagery appears most frequently in Leviticus, where priests are instructed to drain the blood of sacrificial birds (Leviticus 7:2; 14:6). The action is precise and total, ensuring that every drop is removed from the container.
The word also carries a sense of consumption when applied to water. In Psalm 137:6, the psalmist speaks of drinking up the waters of abundance, using matsah to describe the thoroughness of the act. The sources note that this usage highlights not just removal, but the complete intake or exhaustion of the liquid. Whether in ritual purification or poetic metaphor, the term emphasizes finality and emptiness.
Its root structure suggests a forceful or decisive action rather than a slow seepage. Translators often render it as "drain" or "pour out," depending on context. This verb reminds readers that biblical language for cleansing and sacrifice relies on tangible, physical processes to convey spiritual realities. The complete draining of blood or water serves as a vivid picture of thoroughness in obedience.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word matsah describes a thorough draining, whether emptying a vessel or consuming every last drop. In the Old Testament, priests used this precise action during sacrifices, ensuring that blood was completely drained from the altar's side. This physical act highlights God’s attention to detail in how worship is offered. It reminds us that true devotion involves giving fully, without holding back.
When we face difficult seasons, like the psalmist who felt overwhelmed by life’s cup of wrath, this word offers a quiet hope. Even when we feel drained or empty, God sees our complete offering and our honest struggles. The act of draining is not just about loss; it can also signal readiness for renewal. As you pray today, consider how your heart might be emptying its burdens before Him.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 5 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- you have drained1×
- they are drained1×
- it will be drained out1×
- and/ it will be drained out1×
- and/ he drained1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מָצִֽית\׃1×
- יִמָּצֵ֖ה1×
- יִמָּ֥צוּ1×
- וַ/יִּ֤מֶץ1×
- וְ/נִמְצָ֣ה1×
Key Verses
-
Leviticus 1:15
The priest shall bring it to the altar, and wring off its head, and burn it on the altar; and its blood shall be drained out on the side of the altar;
This verse shows the priest draining the blood completely from the bird's head, emphasizing total obedience in ritual sacrifice.
-
Leviticus 5:9
He shall sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering on the side of the altar; and the rest of the blood shall be drained out at the base of the altar. It is a sin offering.
Here, the rest of the blood is drained at the altar's base, marking the sin offering as fully completed and effective.
-
Isaiah 51:17
Awake, awake! Stand up, Jerusalem, you who have drunk from Yahweh’s hand the cup of his wrath. You have drunken the bowl of the cup of staggering, and drained it.
The prophet uses this word to describe Jerusalem having drunk and drained the cup of wrath, signaling the end of that punishment.