Original Word: מַכְמָר
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: makmar
Pronunciation: mak-MAHR
Phonetic Spelling: (mak-mawr')
Definition: Net, Snare
Meaning: a, net

net

Or mikmor {mik-more'}; from kamar in the sense of blackening by heat; a (hunter's) net (as dark from concealment) -- net.

see HEBREW kamar

מִכְמָר noun [masculine] net, snare, bringing an animal to its fall, ׳כְּתוֺא מ Isaiah 51:20 like an antelope of (in) a net or snare (compare II. חֵרֶם, II. רֶשֶׁת).

[מַכְמֹר] noun [masculine] net, snare (see foregoing) — plural suffix יִמְּלוּ בְּמַכְמֹרָיו רְשָׁעִים Psalm 141:10; so Gr Che Psalm 140:11 (במכמרות for ᵑ0 בְּמַהֲמֹרוֺת, see).

Word Origin: Derived from the root verb כָּמַר (kamar), which means "to bind" or "to tie."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: The corresponding Greek entry in Strong's Concordance is G293, ἀμφίβληστρον (amphiblēstron), which also refers to a net, specifically a fishing net. This Greek term appears in the New Testament, such as in Matthew 4:18, where Jesus calls His first disciples, who were fishermen casting their nets into the sea. The use of nets in both the Hebrew and Greek scriptures highlights the continuity of fishing as a vital occupation and metaphor across the biblical narrative.

Usage: The term מַכְמָר is used in the context of fishing or hunting, referring to a net employed to capture fish or birds. It appears in the Hebrew Bible in contexts related to trapping or ensnaring.

Context: מַכְמָר (makhmar) is a noun masculine found in the Hebrew Bible, primarily used to describe a net used for catching fish or birds. The term is rooted in the idea of binding or tying, which is intrinsic to the function of a net. In the ancient Near Eastern context, nets were essential tools for sustenance, used by fishermen and hunters alike. The use of מַכְמָר in the biblical text often carries metaphorical implications, symbolizing entrapment or the ensnaring of individuals or nations. For example, in Ecclesiastes 9:12, the unpredictability of life is likened to fish caught in a cruel net: "For surely no man knows his time: Like fish caught in a cruel net or birds trapped in a snare, so the sons of men are ensnared in an evil time that suddenly falls upon them" (BSB). This imagery underscores the sudden and inescapable nature of certain life events, drawing a parallel between the physical act of trapping and the existential experiences of humanity.

בְמַכְמֹרָ֣יו במכמריו מִכְמָ֑ר מכמר ḇə·maḵ·mō·rāw ḇəmaḵmōrāw michMar miḵ·mār miḵmār vemachmoRavInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts