What does מְחִתָּה (mechittah) mean in the Bible?
מְחִתָּה (mechittah): Dissolution or ruin that induces psychological terror; destruction manifesting both physical devastation and paralyzing fear.
Hebrew · H4288
מְחִתָּה
Properly, a dissolution ; concretely, a ruin , or (abstractly) consternation
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מְחִתָּה H4288
Pronunciation mechittah
What does מְחִתָּה (mechittah) mean in the Bible?
מְחִתָּה (mechittah): Dissolution or ruin that induces psychological terror; destruction manifesting both physical devastation and paralyzing fear.
Full entry for מְחִתָּה (H4288) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H4288?
The BSB source-word alignment has 11 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include a terror (1), and horror (1), but a terror (1), but destruction (1), destruction (1).
Where does מְחִתָּה (mechittah) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Psalms 89:40. Its strongest book concentrations include Proverbs (7), Jeremiah (2), Isaiah (1), Psalms (1).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It a terror 1× Jeremiah 17:17
and horror 1× Jeremiah 48:39
but a terror 1× Proverbs 21:15
but destruction 1× Proverbs 10:29
destruction 1× Proverbs 10:14
invites his own ruin 1× Proverbs 13:3
is his ruin 1× Proverbs 18:7
is the ruin 1× Proverbs 10:15
ruin 1× Proverbs 14:28
Terror [will be far removed] 1× Isaiah 54:14
to rubble 1× Psalms 89:40
Show sample aligned rows
Psalms 89:40 מְחִתָּה׃ to to rubble Noun - feminine singular Proverbs 10:14 מְחִתָּ֥ה to destruction Noun - feminine singular Proverbs 10:15 מְחִתַּ֖ת to is the ruin Noun - feminine singular construct Proverbs 10:29 וּ֝מְחִתָּ֗ה to but destruction Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular Proverbs 13:3 מְחִתָּה־ to invites his own ruin Noun - feminine singular Proverbs 14:28 מְחִתַּ֥ת to ruin Noun - feminine singular construct Proverbs 18:7 מְחִתָּה־ to is his ruin Noun - feminine singular Proverbs 21:15 וּ֝מְחִתָּ֗ה to but a terror Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular Isaiah 54:14 וּמִ֨מְּחִתָּ֔ה to Terror [will be far removed] Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular Jeremiah 17:17 לִמְחִתָּ֑ה to a terror Preposition | Noun - feminine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Psalms 89:40
Aligned rows 11
Books represented 4
Psalms 1 Proverbs 7 Isaiah 1 Jeremiah 2
Source forms
וּ֝מְחִתָּ֗ה 2x ū·mə·ḥit·tāh Proverbs 10:29, Proverbs 21:15
מְחִתָּה־ 2x mə·ḥit·tāh- Proverbs 13:3, Proverbs 18:7
וְלִמְחִתָּ֖ה 1x wə·lim·ḥit·tāh Jeremiah 48:39
וּמִ֨מְּחִתָּ֔ה 1x ū·mim·mə·ḥit·tāh Isaiah 54:14
לִמְחִתָּ֑ה 1x lim·ḥit·tāh Jeremiah 17:17
מְחִתָּ֥ה 1x mə·ḥit·tāh Proverbs 10:14
מְחִתָּה׃ 1x mə·ḥit·tå̄h Psalms 89:40
מְחִתַּ֖ת 1x mə·ḥit·taṯ Proverbs 10:15
Parsing patterns
Noun - feminine singular 4x Psalms 89:40, Proverbs 10:14, Proverbs 13:3, Proverbs 18:7
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular 2x Proverbs 10:29, Proverbs 21:15
Noun - feminine singular construct 2x Proverbs 10:15, Proverbs 14:28
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular 1x Jeremiah 48:39
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular 1x Isaiah 54:14
Preposition | Noun - feminine singular 1x Jeremiah 17:17
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Dissolution or ruin that induces psychological terror; destruction manifesting both physical devastation and paralyzing fear.
Source Gloss
properly, a dissolution ; concretely, a ruin , or (abstractly) consternation
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Dissolution or ruin that induces psychological terror; destruction manifesting both physical devastation and paralyzing fear.
properly, a dissolution; concretely, a ruin, or (abstractly) consternation BDB: terror Usage: destruction, dismaying, ruin, terror.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
terror, ruin, or sudden destruction
destruction or calamity
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 11 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
מְחִתָּה is built from this root:
Why This Word Matters
The term emphasizes the destructive consequences that follow foolish speech. Proverbs 10:14
The term shows the destructive consequences of opposing God's moral order. Proverbs 10:29
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain