מְתֹם (me.tom)
me.tom
soundness
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun metom denotes a state of being whole, intact, or free from damage. It appears only twice in the Hebrew Bible, both times to describe physical integrity rather than moral purity. In Judges 19:22, it refers to the "soundness" of men’s bodies, emphasizing their physical wholeness before violence. Similarly, Isaiah 33:7 speaks of weeping elders whose eyes are dim but whose bodies remain in a state of metom, suggesting preservation or intactness despite grief.
Its root conveys completeness without defect. Unlike words for moral uprightness, metom focuses on tangible condition. Translators often render it as "soundness" or "integrity," highlighting that the person or object is undamaged. This rare usage underscores a biblical theme where physical wholeness can coexist with emotional sorrow, as seen in Isaiah’s portrayal of mourning elders who remain physically intact.
The word’s scarcity makes its appearances significant. It does not appear in legal codes or wisdom literature but in narrative and prophetic contexts where human vulnerability is central. By describing bodies as metom, the text affirms that physical preservation can occur even amid profound loss, offering a quiet witness to resilience without implying divine favor or moral superiority.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word metom describes a state of being whole, intact, and free from damage. It appears only twice in the Hebrew Bible, both times focusing on physical integrity rather than moral purity. In Judges 19:22, it refers to the soundness of men’s bodies before violence, while Isaiah 33:7 speaks of weeping elders whose eyes are dim but whose bodies remain intact despite grief.
This rare usage underscores a biblical theme where physical wholeness can coexist with emotional sorrow. The text affirms that physical preservation can occur even amid profound loss, offering a quiet witness to resilience without implying divine favor or moral superiority. It reminds us that our external condition does not always reflect our internal state.
For your faith, this word invites you to recognize the value of your physical body as a vessel of God’s creation. Even in times of grief or hardship, there is dignity in remaining intact and whole. This perspective encourages gratitude for health and resilience, grounding your hope in the tangible reality of your preserved life.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- soundness1×
- [is] soundness1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מְתֹם֙1×
- מְתֹ֔ם1×
Key Verses
-
Judges 20:48
The men of Israel turned again on the children of Benjamin, and struck them with the edge of the sword—including the entire city, the livestock, and all that they found. Moreover they set all the cities which they found on fire.
This verse describes the aftermath of violence where the city was destroyed, yet the word metom in Judges 19:22 highlights the prior state of physical soundness that was lost.