מַרְצֵעַ (mar.tse.a)
mar.tse.a
awl
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun martzea refers to a small, handheld tool used for piercing holes in material, commonly translated as an awl or boring instrument. In the ancient Near East, this was not merely a craft implement but a vital household object, often kept on hand for mending leather garments or repairing sandals. Its presence in the biblical text grounds spiritual metaphors in the tangible reality of daily labor.
This word appears in two significant passages: Exodus 21:6 and Deuteronomy 15:17. In both cases, it is the instrument used to pierce the ear of a servant who chooses to remain with their master permanently rather than go free after the sabbatical year. The act of marking the ear with the martzea served as a permanent public sign of voluntary, lifelong devotion and loyalty.
The choice of this specific tool highlights the physical nature of covenant commitment. It was not a ceremonial chisel but a simple, sharp point capable of making a lasting mark on living tissue. This imagery has influenced how translators render the concept of binding oneself to God or another person, emphasizing that such devotion involves a deliberate, enduring action rather than a fleeting emotion.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word martzea describes a simple but sharp tool used in ancient households. It was not a ceremonial instrument, but a practical awl for mending leather or repairing sandals. When this everyday object appears in Scripture, it grounds spiritual truths in the reality of daily life and labor.
In Exodus 21:6 and Deuteronomy 15:17, this tool marks a servant’s ear to signify permanent loyalty. The act was voluntary, showing that true devotion is not forced but chosen. This image reminds us that commitment to God involves deliberate action and lasting dedication, rather than fleeting emotion.
For your faith, this word invites you to consider the depth of your own commitments. Just as the awl made a permanent mark, your love for Christ should be steady and enduring. May your devotion be as real and lasting as the covenant described in these ancient texts.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- with the/ awl1×
- the/ awl1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הַ/מַּרְצֵ֗עַ1×
- בַּ/מַּרְצֵ֔עַ1×
Key Verses
-
Exodus 21:6
then his master shall bring him to God, and shall bring him to the door or to the doorpost, and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall serve him forever.
This verse shows the awl being used to permanently mark a servant’s ear, symbolizing voluntary lifelong service to a master.
-
Deuteronomy 15:17
then you shall take an awl, and thrust it through his ear to the door, and he shall be your servant forever. Also to your female servant you shall do likewise.
Here the awl is explicitly commanded for piercing the ear at the doorpost, establishing a public sign of enduring loyalty.