מַת (mat)
mat
man
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 21 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun mat refers to a male or man, but it carries a specific grammatical constraint: it appears almost exclusively in the plural form, metim. This plural usage often emphasizes a group rather than an individual, describing "men" as a collective body. In prose texts like Deuteronomy, it can denote a small number of people, highlighting scarcity or insignificance, such as when Israel is described as having only a few men left (Deuterium 28:62).
In poetic literature, particularly in Job and Psalms, the word shifts to describe human beings with less emphasis on biological sex and more on their mortal or social status. For instance, Psalm 17:14 contrasts the psalmist with "men" whose portion is in this life, implying ordinary people distinct from those who seek God. The sources note that while it derives from a root meaning "full length" or adulthood, its frequent use for "few men" or "small numbers" gives it a tone of limitation.
Translators often render metim simply as "men," but the context frequently demands nuances like "persons" or "friends." In Job 19:19, it describes acquaintances who turn away, while in Deuteronomy 2:34, it is paired with women and children to list the entire population. The word’s strength lies in its ability to signify humanity in bulk, whether as a formidable army or a dwindling remnant.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word for man, mat, usually appears in its plural form, metim, pointing to humanity as a collective group rather than isolated individuals. This shift from singular to plural highlights our shared condition. Whether describing a vast army or a small remnant, the term reminds us that we are part of a larger story. It grounds our identity not in personal achievement but in our place within the community of people.
Scripture often uses this word to show human limitation. In Deuteronomy 28:62, the Israelites are described as few in number despite their previous greatness. This contrast between past abundance and present scarcity teaches humility. It shows that our strength does not come from our own numbers or power, but from God’s presence among us.
When we read about men groaning in cities or friends turning away, we see the reality of human fragility. Yet this awareness is not meant to discourage us. Instead, it invites us to look beyond our own strength. We find comfort in knowing that God sees the whole group and cares for each person within it.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 21 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- men of7×
- men4×
- from/ men2×
- [the] men of2×
- <in>/ men of2×
- men/ your1×
- men/ his1×
- [will be] men of1×
- [am] men of1×
- O men of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מְתֵ֣י8×
- מְתֵי\־3×
- מְתִ֔ם2×
- בִּ/מְתֵ֣י2×
- מִֽ/מְתִ֬ים1×
- מִֽ/מְתִ֥ים1×
- מְתָ֖י/ו1×
- מְתַ֖יִ/ךְ1×
- מְתֵ֖י1×
- מְתִ֨ים\׀1×
- מְתִ֣ים1×
Key Verses
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Deuteronomy 28:62
You will be left few in number, even though you were as the stars of the sky for multitude, because you didn’t listen to Yahweh your God’s voice.
This verse uses the plural form to emphasize Israel's dramatic reduction from a multitude to a small remnant, highlighting human vulnerability without God.
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Psalms 17:14
from men by your hand, Yahweh, from men of the world, whose portion is in this life. You fill the belly of your cherished ones. Your sons have plenty, and they store up wealth for their children.
Here the word contrasts ordinary people focused on this life with those who seek God, showing its use to define spiritual orientation.
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Job 19:19
All my familiar friends abhor me. They whom I loved have turned against me.
The term refers to familiar friends who have turned away, illustrating its application to personal social relationships and betrayal.
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Genesis 34:30
Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have troubled me, to make me odious to the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites. I am few in number. They will gather themselves together against me and strike me, and I will be destroyed, I and my house.”
Jacob describes himself as few in number, using the word to express fear of being overwhelmed by larger groups.