Hebrew word · H4806

מְרִיא

umeri'-

fatling

A fattened animal, usually cattle or sheep fed in a stall for a feast or sacrifice. It is related to Akkadian marû, "to be fat."

Appears 8 times in 8 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

well-fed, fatling

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 11:6

Range of meaning

A fattened animal, usually cattle or sheep fed in a stall for a feast or sacrifice. It is related to Akkadian marû, "to be fat."

Against the English

KJV, NASB and BSB use "fatling," which is accurate but obscure today. ESV and WEB say "fattened calf." NIV's "yearling" turns it into an age and drops the point that the animal is fat. NAB/NABRE drops the noun and reads a verb, "browse" (see textual notes).

How it drifted

The word "fatling" fell out of use, so modern readers often don't know what it means.

Used elsewhere in the period

2 Sam 6:13 (David sacrifices an ox and a fatling); 1 Kgs 1:9, 19, 25 (Adonijah's feast); Isa 1:11 ("the fat of fed beasts"); Amos 5:22; Ezek 39:18.

From the study of Amos 5:22

Range of meaning

A fattened animal, especially cattle fed up for slaughter. It is often listed with oxen and sheep at royal or grand sacrifices.

Against the English

'Fatlings' (YLT), 'fat beasts' (KJV), 'fattened cattle' (BSB). All are accurate. Modern readers may simply miss that this means expensive, specially raised livestock.

Used elsewhere in the period

2 Sam 6:13 (David's sacrifice as the ark is brought up); 1 Kgs 1:9, 19, 25 (Adonijah's royal feast); Isa 1:11 ('the fat of fed beasts', in a very similar oracle); Ezek 39:18.

Where it appears

2 Samuel · 1

  1. 2 Samuel 6:13 וּמְרִֽיא׃ and a fatling

    When those carrying the ark of the LORD had advanced six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf.

1 Kings · 3

  1. 1 Kings 1:9 וּמְרִ֔יא and fatling

    And Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fattened calves near the stone of Zoheleth, which is next to En-rogel. He invited all his royal brothers and all the men of Judah who were servants of the king.

  2. 1 Kings 1:19 וּֽמְרִיא־ and fatling

    And he has sacrificed an abundance of oxen, fattened calves, and sheep, and has invited all the other sons of the king, as well as Abiathar the priest and Joab the commander of the army. But he has not invited your servant Solomon.

  3. 1 Kings 1:25 וּֽמְרִיא־ and fatling

    For today he has gone down and sacrificed an abundance of oxen, fattened calves, and sheep, and has invited all the sons of the king, the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest. And behold, they are eating and drinking before him, saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’

Isaiah · 2

  1. Isaiah 1:11 מְרִיאִ֑ים fatlings

    “What good to Me is your multitude of sacrifices?” says the LORD. “I am full from the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed cattle; I take no delight in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.

    Here: Animals deliberately fattened for slaughter, the luxury beef of feasts (cf. 2 Sam 6:13; 1 Kgs 1:9). This is the richest fare on the most expensive animals.

  2. Isaiah 11:6 וּמְרִיא֙ and fatling

    The wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the goat; the calf and young lion and fatling will be together, and a little child will lead them.

    Here: An animal fattened in the stall for a feast or sacrifice. It is the heaviest and most tempting prey, placed right beside the young lion.

Ezekiel · 1

  1. Ezekiel 39:18 מְרִיאֵ֥י fatlings of

    You will eat the flesh of the mighty and drink the blood of the princes of the earth as though they were rams, lambs, goats, and bulls—all the fattened animals of Bashan.

Amos · 1

  1. Amos 5:22 מְרִיאֵיכֶ֖ם fatlings your

    Even though you offer Me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; for your peace offerings of fattened cattle I will have no regard.

    Here: 'Your fatlings': animals kept and fed up specially for slaughter, a luxury product. The word points to the wealth of the people offering them (compare Amos 6:4, 'calves from the stall').

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