Hebrew word · H4680

מָצָה

yimatzeh

to drain

The verb means to drain, squeeze out, or wring out. Gideon 'wrung out' the dew from the fleece (Judg 6:38). The blood of a sacrifice is 'drained out' against the altar (Lev 1:15; 5:9). The wicked 'drain' the dregs of God's cup (Ps 75:8). Oholibah will 'drink it and drain it' (Ezek 23:34).

Appears 7 times in 7 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

1) to drain, drain out

1a) (Qal) to drain, drain out

1b) (Niphal) to be drained out

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Isaiah 51:17

Range of meaning

The verb means to drain, squeeze out, or wring out. Gideon 'wrung out' the dew from the fleece (Judg 6:38). The blood of a sacrifice is 'drained out' against the altar (Lev 1:15; 5:9). The wicked 'drain' the dregs of God's cup (Ps 75:8). Oholibah will 'drink it and drain it' (Ezek 23:34). Ps 73:10 may also belong here.

Against the English

KJV's 'wrung them out' and YLT's 'wrung out' keep the physical squeezing sense. 'Drained' (WEB, BSB) is clear but a little less vivid.

Used elsewhere in the period

The pair 'drink… drain' in Ezek 23:34 and Ps 75:8 shows this was set language for drinking the cup of judgment to the very end.

From the study of Psalm 75:8

Range of meaning

To squeeze out, wring or drain: Gideon wrings the dew from the fleece (Judg 6:38); blood is 'drained out' at the altar (Lev 1:15; 5:9); a cup is drained (Isa 51:17; Ezek 23:34).

Against the English

The KJV and YLT have 'wring out', which keeps the physical picture. BSB, WEB and NIV fold it into 'drink it down to the dregs'.

Used elsewhere in the period

Ezekiel 23:34: 'you will drink it and drain it (ûmāṣît)', said of Oholibah's cup of horror and desolation.

From the study of Judges 6:38

Range of meaning

To drain or wring out completely, down to the last drop. It is used of draining a cup to the dregs, usually the cup of God's wrath (Psalm 75:8 [Heb. 75:9]; Isaiah 51:17; Ezekiel 23:34), of waters drained by the wicked (Psalm 73:10), and of a bird's blood squeezed out against the altar (Leviticus 1:15; 5:9).

Against the English

'Wrung out' (KJV, WEB, BSB) captures it well. The Hebrew carries a nuance of thoroughness, of emptying completely, which English 'squeezed' alone can lose.

Used elsewhere in the period

About seven occurrences in the Hebrew Bible, all with the sense of draining a liquid until nothing is left.

Where it appears

Leviticus · 2

  1. Leviticus 1:15 וְנִמְצָ֣ה and it will be drained out

    Then the priest shall bring it to the altar, twist off its head, and burn it on the altar; its blood should be drained out on the side of the altar.

  2. Leviticus 5:9 יִמָּצֵ֖ה it will be drained out

    then he is to sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering on the side of the altar, while the rest of the blood is drained out at the base of the altar. It is a sin offering.

    Here: "Shall be drained / squeezed out": a passive form. The word pictures pressing or draining something until it is empty, as Gideon wrings out the fleece. The small carcass is emptied of its blood at the altar.

Judges · 1

  1. Judges 6:38 וַיִּ֤מֶץ and he drained

    And that is what happened. When Gideon arose the next morning, he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water.

    Here: To drain something to the last drop. The verb is used of drinking a cup down to the dregs (Psalm 75:8; Isaiah 51:17) and of blood drained out at the altar (Leviticus 1:15). The picture is of wringing the fleece completely, not just getting a little damp off it.

Psalms · 2

  1. Psalm 73:10 יִמָּ֥צוּ they are drained

    So their people return to this place and drink up waters in abundance.

  2. Psalm 75:8 יִמְצ֣וּ they will drain

    For a cup is in the hand of the LORD, full of foaming wine mixed with spices. He pours from His cup, and all the wicked of the earth drink it down to the dregs.

    Here: The same verb is used for Gideon wringing the water out of the fleece (Judges 6:38). They will squeeze the cup dry. Nothing is left over.

Isaiah · 1

  1. Isaiah 51:17 מָצִֽית׃ you have drained

    Awake, awake! Rise up, O Jerusalem, you who have drunk from the hand of the LORD the cup of His fury; you who have drained the goblet to the dregs—the cup that makes men stagger.

    Here: 'You have drained it,' with no 'and' before it, which makes it abrupt. The verb means squeezing or wringing something out to the last drop, as Gideon wrung the dew from the fleece. Nothing was left in the cup.

Ezekiel · 1

  1. Ezekiel 23:34 וּמָצִ֗ית and you will drain [it]

    You will drink it and drain it; you will dash it to pieces, and tear your breasts. For I have spoken,’ declares the Lord GOD.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.