What does מָתַי (‘aḏ-mā-ṯāy) mean in the Bible?
" rather than stating duration
Hebrew · H4970
מָתַי
מָתַי (‘aḏ-mā-ṯāy): Interrogative or relative temporal marker; primarily asks "when?" rather than stating duration
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מָתַיH4970
Pronunciation‘aḏ-mā-ṯāy
What does מָתַי (‘aḏ-mā-ṯāy) mean in the Bible?
Full entry for מָתַי (H4970) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H4970?
The BSB source-word alignment has 43 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include . . . (23), when (12), how long (2), long (2), and when (1).
Where does מָתַי (‘aḏ-mā-ṯāy) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 30:30. Its strongest book concentrations include Psalms (13), Jeremiah (7), Proverbs (4), Exodus (3).
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. . .23×Exodus 10:3, Exodus 10:7, Numbers 14:27, 1 Samuel 16:1
when12×Genesis 30:30, Exodus 8:9, Job 7:4, Psalms 41:5
how long2×Psalms 6:3, Daniel 12:6
long2×1 Samuel 1:14, Proverbs 1:22
and when1×Nehemiah 2:6
How1×Proverbs 6:9
long [until the fulfillment of]1×Daniel 8:13
long will this go on1×Habakkuk 2:6
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 30:30מָתַ֛יtowhenInterrogativeExodus 8:9לְמָתַ֣י׀toWhenPreposition-l | InterrogativeExodus 10:3מָתַ֣יto. . .InterrogativeExodus 10:7מָתַי֙to. . .InterrogativeNumbers 14:27מָתַ֗יto. . .Interrogative1 Samuel 1:14מָתַ֖יtolongInterrogative1 Samuel 16:1מָתַי֙to. . .Interrogative2 Samuel 2:26מָתַי֙to. . .Interrogative1 Kings 18:21מָתַ֞יto. . .InterrogativeNehemiah 2:6מָתַ֛יto. . .Interrogative
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 30:30
Aligned rows43
Books represented17
Genesis1Exodus3Numbers11 Samuel22 Samuel11 Kings1Nehemiah2Job1Psalms13Proverbs4Isaiah1Jeremiah7Daniel2Hosea1Amos1Habakkuk1Zechariah1
Source forms
מָתַ֖י8xmā·ṯay1 Samuel 1:14, Psalms 94:3, Proverbs 6:9, Isaiah 6:11
מָתַ֥י7xmā·ṯayPsalms 41:5, Psalms 42:2, Psalms 80:4, Psalms 82:2
מָתַי֙5xmā·ṯayExodus 10:7, 1 Samuel 16:1, 2 Samuel 2:26, Jeremiah 12:4
מָתַ֛י3xmā·ṯayGenesis 30:30, Nehemiah 2:6, Jeremiah 4:14
מָתַ֣י3xmā·ṯayExodus 10:3, Job 7:4, Psalms 74:10
מָתַ֗י3xmā·ṯayNumbers 14:27, Jeremiah 23:26, Zechariah 1:12
מָתַ֞י3xmā·ṯay1 Kings 18:21, Daniel 8:13, Amos 8:5
מָ֝תַ֗י2xmā·ṯayPsalms 94:3, Proverbs 6:9
Parsing patterns
Interrogative41xGenesis 30:30, Exodus 10:3, Exodus 10:7, Numbers 14:27
Conjunctive waw | Interrogative1xNehemiah 2:6
Preposition-l | Interrogative1xExodus 8:9
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Interrogative or relative temporal marker; primarily asks "when?" rather than stating duration
Source Gloss
properly, extent (of time); but used only adverbially (especially with other particle prefixes), when (either relative or interrogative)
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Interrogative or relative temporal marker; primarily asks "when?" rather than stating duration
properly, extent (of time); but used only adverbially (especially with other particle prefixes), when (either relative or interrogative) BDB: when Usage: long, when.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Witnesses
Psalms 6:1-3עַד־מָתָי‘aḏ-mā-ṯāy
until when?; how long?
Showing 1 selected witness from 43 lexical occurrence verses.
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.