מַתְבֵּן (mat.ben)
mat.ben
straw
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 matben refers specifically to a heap or pile of straw, distinct from loose stalks lying in a field. It denotes the gathered residue left after threshing grain, a byproduct that held little intrinsic value compared to the wheat itself. This word appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, found in Isaiah 25:10.
In this single occurrence, the imagery carries significant weight. The prophet describes how God will crush the stronghold of the enemy like a wall of straw. The use of matben here emphasizes fragility and impermanence; just as a heap of dry straw offers no resistance to fire or wind, so too do human defenses crumble before divine judgment.
The term highlights the contrast between enduring strength and ephemeral material. While grain sustains life, the matben is merely waste, destined for burning. Isaiah uses this concrete agricultural detail to illustrate the futility of opposing God’s purposes, reminding readers that earthly power often lacks the substance it pretends to have.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word matben describes a heap of straw left after threshing. It is what remains when the valuable grain has been separated. This residue is dry, light, and easily scattered by wind or consumed by fire. In Isaiah 25:10, this image shows how human strength can vanish before God’s purposes.
When we face opposition or fear, it helps to remember that earthly power often lacks lasting substance. Just as straw offers no real resistance when trodden down, our worries and the forces against us may seem large but are fragile in comparison to divine authority. This truth brings comfort rather than despair.
You do not need to rely on your own strength to endure difficult seasons. The same God who gathers the wheat also handles the straw with certainty. Rest in that stability, knowing that what is truly lasting will remain while what is temporary passes away.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- a heap of straw1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מַתְבֵּ֖ן1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 25:10
For Yahweh’s hand will rest in this mountain. Moab will be trodden down in his place, even like straw is trodden down in the water of the dunghill.
This verse uses matben to illustrate how Moab’s stronghold will be crushed like dry straw, emphasizing the futility of resisting God's authority.