Hebrew word · H4986

מֶ֫תֶק

umetek

sweetness

Sweetness, pleasantness. From the root m-t-q, 'to be sweet', as in honey, sweet water and sweet fruit. It is used of speech that is pleasing and persuasive.

Appears 2 times in 2 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

sweetness

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 Proverbs 27:9

Range of meaning

Sweetness, pleasantness. From the root m-t-q, 'to be sweet', as in honey, sweet water and sweet fruit. It is used of speech that is pleasing and persuasive.

Against the English

BSB 'sweetness', some modern versions 'pleasantness'. 'Sweetness' keeps the taste picture, which matters for the wordplay with nefesh ('throat').

Used elsewhere in the period

Prov 16:21: 'sweetness of lips increases learning (or persuasiveness).' The related noun appears in Judg 9:11 (the fig tree's 'sweetness'). Compare Prov 16:24: 'Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the nefesh.' The same root describes a friendship 'made sweet' by shared counsel in Ps 55:14 ('we took sweet counsel together').

From the study of Proverbs 16:21

Range of meaning

Sweetness, the taste of honey or fruit. Used figuratively for what is pleasant, agreeable or winsome. The related verb mātaq means 'be sweet'.

Against the English

KJV 'sweetness of the lips' is literal. WEB has 'pleasantness', BSB 'pleasant speech', NIV 'gracious words'. 'Sweet' in modern English can suggest something sugary or merely nice.

Used elsewhere in the period

The related form is used for the fig's sweetness in Judg 9:11. 'The sweetness of a friend' comes from heartfelt counsel in Prov 27:9. Three verses on, 16:24 says 'Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet (mātôq) to the soul and healing to the bones.' Proverbs also knows sweetness misused: the forbidden woman's lips 'drip honey' (5:3) and she seduces 'with much leqaḥ' (7:21).

Where it appears

Proverbs · 2

  1. Proverbs 16:21 וּמֶ֥תֶק and sweetness of

    The wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant speech promotes instruction.

    Here: 'Sweetness', the taste of honey or figs, used for speech that is pleasant and easy to take in. The verse moves from the inner quality (wisdom) to the way it is delivered.

  2. Proverbs 27:9 וּמֶ֥תֶק and [the] sweetness of

    Oil and incense bring joy to the heart, and the counsel of a friend is sweetness to the soul.

    Here: A rare word for sweetness, a taste word that also means pleasantness. The line moves from smell (oil, incense) to taste (sweetness).

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