What does מָתַי (‘aḏ-mā-ṯāy) mean in the Bible?
" rather than stating duration
Hebrew · H4970
מָתַי
Properly, extent (of time); but used only adverbially (especially with other particle prefixes), when (either relative or interrogative)
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מָתַי H4970
Pronunciation ‘aḏ-mā-ṯāy
What does מָתַי (‘aḏ-mā-ṯāy) mean in the Bible?
מָתַי (‘aḏ-mā-ṯāy): Interrogative or relative temporal marker; primarily asks "when?" rather than stating duration
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
when 12× Genesis 30:30, Exodus 8:9, Job 7:4, Psalms 41:5
how long 2× Psalms 6:3, Daniel 12:6
long 2× 1 Samuel 1:14, Proverbs 1:22
and when 1× Nehemiah 2:6
How 1× Proverbs 6:9
long [until the fulfillment of] 1× Daniel 8:13
long will this go on 1× Habakkuk 2:6
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 30:30 מָתַ֛י to when Interrogative Exodus 8:9 לְמָתַ֣י׀ to When Preposition-l | Interrogative Exodus 10:3 מָתַ֣י to . . . Interrogative Exodus 10:7 מָתַי֙ to . . . Interrogative Numbers 14:27 מָתַ֗י to . . . Interrogative 1 Samuel 1:14 מָתַ֖י to long Interrogative 1 Samuel 16:1 מָתַי֙ to . . . Interrogative 2 Samuel 2:26 מָתַי֙ to . . . Interrogative 1 Kings 18:21 מָתַ֞י to . . . Interrogative Nehemiah 2:6 מָתַ֛י to . . . Interrogative
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 30:30
Aligned rows 43
Books represented 17
Genesis 1 Exodus 3 Numbers 1 1 Samuel 2 2 Samuel 1 1 Kings 1 Nehemiah 2 Job 1 Psalms 13 Proverbs 4 Isaiah 1 Jeremiah 7 Daniel 2 Hosea 1 Amos 1 Habakkuk 1 Zechariah 1
Source forms
מָתַ֖י 8x mā·ṯay 1 Samuel 1:14, Psalms 94:3, Proverbs 6:9, Isaiah 6:11
מָתַ֥י 7x mā·ṯay Psalms 41:5, Psalms 42:2, Psalms 80:4, Psalms 82:2
מָתַי֙ 5x mā·ṯay Exodus 10:7, 1 Samuel 16:1, 2 Samuel 2:26, Jeremiah 12:4
מָתַ֛י 3x mā·ṯay Genesis 30:30, Nehemiah 2:6, Jeremiah 4:14
מָתַ֣י 3x mā·ṯay Exodus 10:3, Job 7:4, Psalms 74:10
מָתַ֗י 3x mā·ṯay Numbers 14:27, Jeremiah 23:26, Zechariah 1:12
מָתַ֞י 3x mā·ṯay 1 Kings 18:21, Daniel 8:13, Amos 8:5
מָ֝תַ֗י 2x mā·ṯay Psalms 94:3, Proverbs 6:9
Parsing patterns
Interrogative 41x Genesis 30:30, Exodus 10:3, Exodus 10:7, Numbers 14:27
Conjunctive waw | Interrogative 1x Nehemiah 2:6
Preposition-l | Interrogative 1x Exodus 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 definition Source: 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 6:1-3 עַד־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.
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