Original Word: מֵאָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: me'ah
Pronunciation: meh-AH
Phonetic Spelling: (may-aw')
KJV: hundred((-fold), -th), + sixscore
NASB: hundred, hundreds, 100, 200, hundredth, one hundred, two hundred
Word Origin: [(properly) a primitive numeral]

1. a hundred
2. also as a multiplicative and a fraction

hundredfold

Or metyah {may-yaw'}; properly, a primitive numeral; a hundred; also as a multiplicative and a fraction -- hundred((-fold), -th), + sixscore.

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
hundred
NASB Translation
1,100,000* (1), 1,200* (1), 1,222* (1), 1,247* (2), 1,254* (4), 1,290* (1), 1,335* (1), 1,400* (2), 1,700* (3), 1,760* (1), 1,775* (2), 100 (14), 100,000* (7), 108,100* (2), 110* (1), 112* (3), 120* (4), 120,000* (5), 122* (2), 123* (2), 127* (3), 128* (4), 130* (1), 138* (1), 139* (1), 14,700* (1), 140* (1), 148* (1), 150* (4), 151,450* (2), 153,600* (2), 156* (1), 157,600* (2), 16,750* (1), 160* (1), 17,200* (1), 172* (1), 180* (1), 180,000* (3), 185,000* (2), 186,400* (2), 188* (1), 2,172* (2), 2,200* (1), 2,300* (1), 2,322* (1), 2,400* (2), 2,600* (2), 2,630* (1), 2,700* (1), 2,750* (1), 2,812* (1), 2,818* (1), 20,200* (1), 20,800* (1), 200 (7), 200,000* (4), 212* (1), 218* (1), 22,200* (1), 22,273* (1), 22,600* (1), 220* (2), 223* (2), 232* (1), 242* (1), 245* (3), 25,100* (1), 250* (5), 250,000* (1), 273* (1), 28,600* (1), 280,000* (2), 284* (1), 288* (1), 3,200* (1), 3,300* (1), 3,600* (2), 3,630* (1), 3,700* (1), 3,930* (1), 30,500* (2), 300* (11), 300,000* (4), 307,500* (2), 32,200* (2), 32,500* (1), 320* (2), 323* (1), 324* (1), 328* (1), 337,500* (4), 345* (2), 35,400* (2), 372* (2), 392* (2), 4,500* (8), 4,600* (2), 40,500* (3), 400* (5), 400,000* (3), 41,500* (2), 410* (1), 42,360* (2), 43,730* (1), 435* (2), 44,760* (1), 45,400* (1), 45,600* (1), 45,650* (2), 450* (2), 454* (1), 46,500* (2), 468* (1), 470,000* (1), 5,400* (1), 500* (3), 500,000* (1), 52,700* (1), 53,400* (3), 530* (1), 54,400* (2), 57,400* (2), 59,300* (2), 6,200* (1), 6,720* (2), 6,800* (1), 60,500* (1), 600* (8), 600,000* (1), 601,730* (2), 603,550* (6), 62,700* (2), 621* (2), 623* (1), 628* (1), 64,300* (1), 64,400* (1), 642* (2), 648* (1), 650* (1), 652* (2), 655* (1), 666* (3), 667* (1), 675* (1), 675,000* (1), 690* (1), 7,100* (1), 7,337* (2), 7,500* (1), 7,700* (2), 700* (5), 721* (1), 725* (1), 730* (1), 736* (2), 74,600* (2), 743* (2), 745* (1), 76,500* (1), 760* (2), 775* (1), 8,580* (1), 8,600* (1), 800,000* (1), 822* (1), 832* (1), 845* (1), 928* (1), 945* (1), 956* (1), 973* (2), eleven* (3), hundred (220), hundredfold* (1), hundreds (27), hundredth (2), one hundred (1), two hundred (1).

I. מֵאָה₅₈₃ noun feminine hundred (Late Hebrew id.; MI²⁰ מאתן (dual); SI⁵ מאת, מאתים (dual); Phoenician מאת מאתם (dual); Assyrian mê (probably, Dl^{§ 75}), Tel Amarna mê-at Wkl^{TelAm 20}*; Arabic Sabean מאת מאתם Os^{ZMG x. 1856, 49}; CIS^{iv. i. 6, 4; 46, 6}; מאה Eut^{Sin 457}; Ethiopic ; Aramaic מְאָה, ; Palmyrene תלת מאה300Vog^{Palm 6, 4}; Nabataean מאה Eut^{Nab 8, 9}); — ׳מ Genesis 6:3 144t.; construct מְאַת Genesis 5:3 30t. (on מְאַת Ecclesiastes 8:12 see 2d below); plural absolute מֵאוֺת Genesis 5:9 324t. (מֵאֹת only Genesis 5:4,30); המאיות Kt 2 Kings 11:4 3t. 2 Kings 11; dual מָאתַיִם (תָ֑יִם-) Genesis 11:19 76t. (but 1 Samuel 18:27 read מֵאָה (מְאַת) ᵐ5 We Dr Kit Bu HPS); — hundred: —

1 as simple number:

a. absolute singular, (I) following by singular of noun enumerated: מֵאָה קְשִׂיטָה Genesis 33:19; Joshua 24:32 (both E); אִישׁ ׳מ Judges 7:19; 1 Kings 18:13; 2 Kings 4:43; אַמָּה ׳מ 1 Kings 7:2; Ezekiel 40:19 +; כִּכָּר ׳מ 2 Kings 23:33; 2Chronicles 25:6; 27:5; 36:3; Ezra 8:26; אֶלֶף ׳מ = 100,000 1 Kings 20:29 6t. Kings Chronicles; compare also Genesis 17:17 (P), 2 Samuel 8:4; Isaiah 65:20 (twice in verse), and followed by collective noun רֶכֶב 2 Samuel 8:4 = 1 Chronicles 18:4, צאֹן 1 Kings 5:3; (2) less often followed by plural מֵאָה שְׁעָרִים Genesis 26:12 (J), מְּעָמִים ׳מ 2 Samuel 24:3 = 1 Chronicles 21:3, נְבִיאִים ׳מ 1 Kings 18:4, etc.; (3) seldom, and late, preceded by plural noun: הָרִמֹּנִים מֵאָה Jeremiah 52:23, אַמּוֺת הַמֵּאָה Ezekiel 42:2, compare Ezra 2:69; 2Chronicles 3:16; 4:8; 29:32; (4) exceptional is מֵאָה לְכִּכָּרִים כְּלֵי כֶסֶף Ezra 8:26; also, with ellipsis, מֵאָה כֶסֶף Deuteronomy 22:19 (i.e. shekels); מֵאָה קַיִץ 2 Samuel 16:1 (i.e. cakes); (5) מֵאָה without noun enumerated, especially = a hundred (men, persons) Judges 20:10 (twice in verse); Amos 5:3 (twice in verse); Leviticus 26:8 (twice in verse) (H), 1 Chronicles 12:14; ׳מ Proverbs 17:10 100(blows), Ecclesiastes 6:3 100(children), Ecclesiastes 8:12 100(times). — On Nehemiah 3:1; Nehemiah 12:39 see below

b. absolute dual, (I) foll, by singular, מָאתַיִם אִישׁ 1 Samuel 18:27; 1 Samuel 30:10; 2 Samuel 15:11, לֶחֶם ׳מ 1 Samuel 25:18; 2 Samuel 16:1, צִנָּה ׳מ 1 Kings 10:16 2Chronicles 9:15, אֶלֶף ׳מ 1 Samuel 15:4 +, שָׁנָה ׳מ Genesis 11:23 (P); (2) less often followed by plural שְׁקָלִים ׳מ Joshua 7:21 (JE), 2 Samuel 14:26, דְּבֵלִים ׳מ 1 Samuel 25:18, אֲנָשִׁים ׳מ 1 Samuel 30:21, compare Ezra 8:4; (3) also preceded by plural noun: ׳עִוִּים מ Genesis 32:15, ׳רְחֵלִים מ Genesis 32:15 (E), ׳הָרִמּוֺנִים מ 1 Kings 7:20, compare 1 Chronicles 15:8; 2Chronicles 29:32; Ezra 2:65; (4) with ellipsis כֶּסֶף ׳מ Judges 17:4; (5) as predicate, ׳רָאשֵׁיהֶם מ1Chron 12:32 (33 van d. H).

c. absolute plural ׃מֵא(וֺ)ת — (1) alone, = hundreds, לְמֵאוֺת 1 Samuel 29:2 by hundreds, so 2 Samuel 18:4 (both + thousands); especially ׳שָׂרֵי (הַ)מּ captains of (the) hundreds Exodus 18:21,25 (E), 2 Kings 11:4,9,10,15 +; (2) multiplied, followed by noun enumerated, in singular: אִישׁ ׳שְׁלשׁ מ Judges 7:6, 300 men, compare Judges 7:7; Judges 7:8; Judges 7:16; Judges 8:4; Exodus 12:27 (E), etc.; שָׁנָה ׳אַרְבַּע מ Genesis 15:13 (JE) 400 years; אֶלֶף ׳חֲמֵשׁ מ 2 Samuel 24:9 500,000, compare 2 Chronicles 13:17; רֶכֶב ׳שֵׁשׁ מ Exodus 14:7 (J) 600 chariots; אִישׁ שְׁבַע ׳מ Judges 20:15,16 700men; חָלָל ׳שְׁמֹנֶה מ 2 Samuel 23:8 800slain; רֶכֶב ׳תְּשַׁע מ Judges 4:3,13 900chariots; (3) less often followed by plural noun: שׁוּעָלִים ׳שְׁלשׁ מ Judges 15:4 300foxes; אֲתוֺנוֺת ׳חֲמֵשׁ מ Job 1:3 500she-asses, etc.; (4) rare, and chiefly late, after plural noun ׳מִּלַגְשִׁים שְׁלשׁ מ 1 Kings 11:3 300concubines, compare 1 Kings 7:42 2Chronicles 4:13; 1 Chronicles 4:42; 2Chron 14:8 etc.; after n.collective ׳בָּקָר חֲמֵשׁ מ2Chronicles 35:9; (5) rare is בַּשֶּׁקֶל ׳חֲמֵשׁ מ Exodus 30:24 (P); (6) ellipsis of n., כֶּסֶף ׳שְׁלשׁ מ Genesis 45:22 (E), etc.

d. construct singular, only followed by singular, and late: מְאַתשָֿׁנָה Genesis 11:10; Genesis 21:5; Genesis 25:7 (all P) + 25 t. P, 1 Chronicles 25:9; Esther 1:4 (Dr^{Intr. 124}) (also with other numerals, see

2 below); מְאַ֖ת Ecclesiastes 8:12 100times (מֵאָה מְּעָמִיםׅ, sc. מַּעַם, or perhaps only apparently construct (Kö^{ii. 228} compare Ew^{§ 269 b. 279 e}). — Nehemiah 5:11 see

3 below

2 as part of larger number:

a. usually preceding tens and units, (1) with noun expressed once, or not at all, earlier usage, usually with וְ before ten if no unit follows, otherwise without וְ before ten (see Kö^{ii. 218 ff.}): מֵאָה וְעֶשֶׂר שָׂרִים Judges 2:8; שִׁשִּׁים וָשֵׁשׁ כִּכָּר שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֺת 1 Kings 10:14 666talents, etc. (exceptions are Nehemiah 7:24 and Nehemiah 7:31); (2) chiefly late, with noun and וְ repeated: שָׁנָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה מֵאָה שָׁנִים וְשֶׁבַע Genesis 23:1 (P) (compare ואלף אמה ומאת אמה SI^5.6 Da^{Expos. Times. May, 1898}).

b. less often, following tens and units, chiefly late, with וְ repeated: — עֶשְׂרִים וּמֵאָה Numbers 7:86 (P); שֶׁבַע וּשְׁלשִׁים וּמְאַת שָׁנָה Exodus 6:16 (P), etc.; with noun after ten and after hundred, חָמֵשׁ וְשִׁשִּׁים שָׁנָה וּשְׁלשׁ מֵאוֺת שָׁנָה Genesis 5:23(P), etc. — On these usages see, further, Kö^{ii. 217 ff.} Da^{Synt. §§ 36 R. 3, 37} (d) Ges ^{§§ 97, 134 and} especially Herner^{Synt. d. Zahlw-rter im AT (1893).}

3 מְאַת הַכֶּסֶף Nehemiah 5:11 = a hundredth part of the money; but read quite possibly מַשַּׁאת the debt (Gei^{Jüd. Zeitschr. viii. 1870, 227 Gr}.)

מְאָיוֺת Kt see מֵאָה.

מַאֲכָל, מַאֲכֹ֫לַת, מַאֲכֶ֫לֶת see אבל.

[מַאֲמָץ, מַאֲמַצִּים] see אמץ.

[מַאֲמָר] see אָמַר.

מְאָה noun feminine hundred (see Biblical Hebrew); — absolute ׳מ after noun enumerator, Ezra 6:17; Ezra 7:22 (4 t. in verse), so ׳אַרְבַּע מ Ezra 6:17, וְעֶשְׂרִין ׳מ Daniel 6:1, and dual מָאתַ֫וִן Ezra 6:17.

מאֹזַנְוָא see אזן. מֵאמַר see אמר.

Scope of the Term

Used about 578 times, מֵאָה frames everything from patriarchal ages to royal treasuries. Its ubiquity allows it to serve as a literary thread that binds history, law, worship, wisdom, and prophecy into one coherent testimony to the faithfulness and order of God.

Patriarchal Ages and Genesis Chronology

• Genesis uses מֵאָה to mark the lifespans that structure primeval and patriarchal history (Genesis 5; Genesis 11).
• Abraham’s “one hundred years” at Isaac’s birth (Genesis 21:5; cf. 17:17) turns the number into a monument of grace: God keeps covenant when human resources are spent.
• The motif continues with Isaac’s harvest of “a hundredfold” during famine (Genesis 26:12), presenting מֵאָה as a cipher for miraculous provision.

Covenant Structure and Community Organization

• Moses, copying Jethro’s counsel, appoints “commanders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens” (Exodus 18:21; Deuteronomy 1:15). The hundred–man unit becomes the backbone of Israel’s civic and military framework.
• In Judges, Gideon splits his three hundred men into three companies of one hundred (Judges 7:16-20), proving that victory depends on obedience rather than numerical superiority.

Tabernacle and Temple Measurements

• The courtyard of the wilderness tabernacle stretches “one hundred cubits long” (Exodus 27:18; 38:9-11). Ezekiel’s visionary temple repeats the dimension (Ezekiel 40:47; 41:13), showing that sacred space is shaped by divinely fixed numbers.
• Such precision teaches that worship must conform to God’s revealed pattern, not human preference.

Legal Fines, Redemption, and Economics

• A false accuser of a bride pays “one hundred shekels of silver” (Deuteronomy 22:19), an amount large enough to deter slander yet calibrated to preserve proportional justice.
• Land dedicated to the LORD is valued “at fifty shekels of silver for every homer of seed” (Leviticus 27:16), implying a field that produces one hundred ephahs.
• Ezra is authorized to draw “up to one hundred talents of silver, one hundred kors of wheat, one hundred baths of wine” (Ezra 7:22), indicating Persian confidence that temple worship was worth lavish support.

Royal Administration and Tribute

• Solomon’s daily menu includes “one hundred sheep” (1 Kings 4:22-23), signaling abundance under covenant blessing.
• Under evil kings the same unit exposes greed: Pharaoh Neco fines Judah “one hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold” (2 Kings 23:33).

Prophetic and Wisdom Imagery

• Ecclesiastes twice employs מֵאָה to unveil vanity: a man who fathers “a hundred children” yet never enjoys God’s gifts (Ecclesiastes 6:3) or a sinner who “does evil a hundred times” (Ecclesiastes 8:12). Quantity without godliness is futility.
• Isaiah’s millennial vision promises longevity: “The one who dies at one hundred years will be considered a youth” (Isaiah 65:20), portraying reversal of the curse.

Theology of Multiplication

Through Abraham’s impossible age, Isaac’s hundredfold yield, and prophetic pictures of overflowing life, מֵאָה functions not merely as arithmetic but as a recurring sign that God amplifies His blessings far beyond natural limits. Even when applied to fines or temple taxes, the number reinforces divine ownership of wealth and justice.

Ministry Principles

1. Encourage faith that God can produce super-abundant fruit where resources seem inadequate (Genesis 26:12; Matthew 13:8).
2. Organize people and projects in orderly, accountable groups modeled on the “hundreds” of Exodus 18.
3. Maintain financial integrity; biblical fines and valuations guard holiness and protect the vulnerable.
4. Keep eschatological hope alive: Isaiah’s “hundred-year youth” calls believers to labor with the expectation of renewal and resurrection.

Representative References

Genesis 17:17; 21:5; 26:12

Exodus 27:18

Leviticus 27:16

Deuteronomy 22:19

Judges 7:16-20

2 Kings 11:4; 23:33

1 Chronicles 29:7

Ezra 7:22

Nehemiah 5:11

Ecclesiastes 6:3; 8:12

Isaiah 65:20

Ezekiel 40:47

In every context, מֵאָה reminds the reader that the God who numbers the stars also numbers ages, armies, harvests, and days—and delights to magnify His glory by turning what seems merely “one hundred” into evidence of His inexhaustible grace.

בְּמֵאָ֖ה בְּמֵאָ֣ה בְּמֵאָ֥ה בְּמֵאָה֙ במאה הַ֠מֵּאוֹת הַמֵּא֑וֹת הַמֵּא֔וֹת הַמֵּא֗וֹת הַמֵּא֡וֹת הַמֵּא֣וֹת ׀ הַמֵּאָ֔ה הַמֵּאֽוֹת׃ הַמֵּאוֹת֙ הַמָּאתַ֙יִם֙ הַמֵּאֹ֗ות הַמֵּאֹ֣ות המאה המאות המאות׃ המאתים וְהַמֵּא֑וֹת וְהַמֵּא֔וֹת וְהַמֵּא֖וֹת וְהַמֵּא֜וֹת וְהַמֵּא֡וֹת וְהַמָּאתָ֑יִם וּמְאַ֖ת וּמְאַ֣ת וּמְאַ֨ת וּמְאַת֙ וּמֵ֣אָה וּמֵ֥אָה וּמֵאָ֑ה וּמֵאָ֖ה וּמֵאָ֗ה וּמֵאָ֤ה וּמֵאָ֥ה וּמֵאָ֧ה וּמֵאָ֨ה וּמֵאָֽה׃ וּמֵאָה֙ וּמֵאָה֮ וּמֵאָה־ וּמָאתַ֔יִם וּמָאתַ֖יִם וּמָאתַ֙יִם֙ וּמָאתַ֣יִם וּמָאתַ֧יִם וּמָאתָ֑יִם וּמָאתָֽיִם׃ והמאות והמאתים ומאה ומאה־ ומאה׃ ומאת ומאתים ומאתים׃ לְמֵא֖וֹת לְמֵאָ֣ה לְמֵאָה֙ לִמְאַ֣ת לִמְאַ֥ת לַמֵּאָ֜ה למאה למאות למאת מְאַ֖ת מְאַ֣ת מְאַ֥ת מְאַ֧ת מְאַ֨ת מְאַת֙ מֵ֣אָה מֵ֥אָה מֵֽאָה־ מֵא֑וֹת מֵא֔וֹת מֵא֖וֹת מֵא֗וֹת מֵא֛וֹת מֵא֜וֹת מֵא֣וֹת מֵא֤וֹת מֵא֥וֹת מֵא֧וֹת מֵא֨וֹת מֵאָ֑ה מֵאָ֔ה מֵאָ֖ה מֵאָ֛ה מֵאָ֡ה מֵאָ֣ה מֵאָ֤ה מֵאָ֥ה מֵאָ֧ה מֵאָ֨ה מֵאָֽה־ מֵאָֽה׃ מֵאָה֙ מֵאָה֩ מֵאָה־ מֵאֹ֖ת מֵאֹ֧ת מֵאֽוֹת׃ מֵאוֹת֙ מָאתַ֔יִם מָאתַ֖יִם מָאתַ֙יִם֙ מָאתַ֛יִם מָאתַ֣יִם מָאתַ֤יִם מָאתַ֥יִם מָאתַ֨יִם מָאתָ֑יִם מָאתָֽיִם׃ מאה מאה־ מאה׃ מאות מאות׃ מאת מאתים מאתים׃ bə·mê·’āh bəmê’āh bemeAh ham·mā·ṯa·yim ham·mê·’āh ham·mê·’ō·wṯ hammaTayim hammāṯayim hammê’āh hammê’ōwṯ hammeAh hammeOt lam·mê·’āh lammê’āh lammeAh lə·mê·’āh lə·mê·’ō·wṯ ləmê’āh ləmê’ōwṯ lemeAh lemeot lim’aṯ lim·’aṯ limAt mā·ṯa·yim mā·ṯā·yim maTayim māṯayim māṯāyim mê’āh mê’āh- mə’aṯ mê’ōṯ mê’ōwṯ mê·’āh mê·’āh- mə·’aṯ mê·’ō·wṯ mê·’ōṯ meAh meAt meOt ū·mā·ṯa·yim ū·mā·ṯā·yim ū·mê·’āh ū·mê·’āh- ū·mə·’aṯ umaTayim ūmāṯayim ūmāṯāyim ūmê’āh ūmê’āh- ūmə’aṯ umeAh umeAt vehammaTayim vehammeot wə·ham·mā·ṯā·yim wə·ham·mê·’ō·wṯ wəhammāṯāyim wəhammê’ōwṯInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts