BDB4899
מָתְנַ֫יִם noun masculine dual loins (Arabic [untranscribed source text 3123] back, [untranscribed source text 3124] the two sides of the back, etc.; Syriac [untranscribed source text 3125]; — absolute ׳ מ Deut 33:11 + 7 t., מָתְנָ֑יִם Ezek 29:7; Ezek 47:4 construct מָתְנֵי Jer 13:11 + 3t.; suffix מָתְנַי Isa 21:3, מָתְנָ֑י Jer 13:2 מָתְנֵיהֶם 1 Kings + Jer 20:32 + 4 t., etc.; — loins:
1.
a.
place of wearing girdle
1Kgs 2:5; 2Kgs 1:8; Jer 13:1; Jer 13:2; Jer 13:4; Jer 13:11;
Ezek 23:15
figurative Isa 11:5
righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins.
b. hence place of things
attached to girdle: — sword girded on (חגר על, אסר
2Sam 20:8;
Neh 4:12
opposed
to, וּמָתְנֵי מְלָכִים אֲפַתֵּחַ
Isa 45:1
and the loins of kings I will loosen, i e. will disarm them (׳
י before Cyrus; compare Che); ink-horn Ezek 9:2; Ezek 9:3; Ezek 9:11.
c.
girding up loins = make ready for action, וַיְשַׁנֵּס
מָתְנָיו
1Kgs 18:46
more often ׳
חָגַר מ
2Kgs 4:29;
2Kgs 9:1; Exod 12:11 (
P
), Dan 10:5
׳
אָזַר מ
Jer 1:17.
d.
׳
זַרְזִיר מ
Prov 30:31
that which is girt in the loins, i.e. probably either a greyhound
Ew
Bö
De (contracted, as if by a belt), or a war-horse, charger, Bo
Ges
Hi
Str
Wild (with a saddle); compare also זרזיר, p. 267
above;
text perhaps corrupt (Wild).
e. girded with sackcloth
(in mourning) Gen
37:34 (
J
), Amos
8:10
; Isa 20:2
;
1Kgs 20:31
;
1Kgs 20:32
;
Jer 48:37.
f.
linen breeches of priests were to extend
מִמָּתְנַיִם וְעַד
יְרֵכַיִם
Exod 28:42
(
P
); to be ׳
עַלמָֿת
Ezek 44:18
loins of slaves are girt with waistcloth, compare Job 12:18 (see also אֵזוֺר).
g. in
general of the middle of the body, ׳
מֵי מָת
Ezek 47:4
(i.e.
water reaching to the loins); so of the appearance of ׳
י in Ezekiel's visions Ezek 1:27 (twice in verse); Ezek 8:2 (twice in verse).
2.
a.
loins as seat of strength, Deut 33:11; 1Kgs 12:10 = 2Chr 10:10
חַזֵּק מָתְנַיִם
Nah 2:2 (||
אַמֵּץ כֹּחַ); כֹּחוֺ בְּמָתְנָיו
Job 40:16
(of hippopotamus); in combination with 1.a. (figurative) חָֽגְרָה
׳
בְּעוֺז מ
Prov
31:17
she girdeth her loins with strength, she puts on energy with her girdle; compare
also ׳
בְּשִׁבְרוֺן מ
Ezek
21:11 sigh with breaking of loins, i.e. in entire collapse of strength;
so תָּמִיד
׳
הַמְעַ֑ד וּמ
Ps 69:24
and make their loins continually to shake, make them totter; compare Ezek 29:7
(where read וְהִמְעַדְתָּ for וְהַעֲמַדְתָּ, see
מָעַד
).
b. as seat of keenest pain, due to grief or dread Nah 2:11; Isa 21:3
(as in travail); so probably also Ps 66:11 (compare Bae
; and see
מוּעָקָה
below עוק).