3972. meumah
Lexical Summary
meumah: Anything, something, nothing

Original Word: מְאוּמָה
Part of Speech: pronoun indefinite
Transliteration: muwmah
Pronunciation: meh-oo-mah
Phonetic Spelling: (meh-oo'-maw)
KJV: fault, + no(-ught), ought, somewhat, any ((no-))thing
NASB: anything, valuable, any sort, fault, something, thing
Word Origin: [apparently a form of H3971 (מאוּם מוּם - defect)]

1. (properly) a speck or point
2. (by implication) something
3. with negative, nothing

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
fault, nothing, ought, somewhat, any nothing

Apparently a form of m'uwm; properly, a speck or point, i.e. (by implication) something; with negative, nothing -- fault, + no(-ught), ought, somewhat, any ((no-))thing.

see HEBREW m'uwm

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from the same as mum
Definition
anything
NASB Translation
any sort (1), anything (13), anything* (1), fault (1), nothing* (11), something (1), thing (1), valuable (2).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
מְא֫וּמָה32 pronoun indefinite anything (according to Thes from מָה וּמָה, like quidquid, against which is the Mil`el tone; according to Ol254, 255, 386ii. 146 an old accusative from מאוּם in sense of speck, particle, compare French point: in Assyrian manman (properly who ? who ?), assimilated mamman, or manma (man, who ? + Generalizing ma), mamma, is any one, minma (min, what ? + ma), mimma, is anything, Dl§ 60, HWB 418 f; WSG 125 f.); — anything, usually in negative sentences, as Genesis 22:12 ואלתֿעשׂ לו מאומה (euphem. for something bad), Genesis 30:31 מאומה לֹאתִֿתֶּןלִֿי, Genesis 39:6,9; Genesis 40:15 (euphemism), 1 Samuel 12:4,5; 1 Samuel 20:26,39; 1 Samuel 25:7,15,21; 1 Samuel 29:3 etc., Judges 14:6 ומאומה אין בידו, Ecclesiastes 5:14 לא ישׂא בעמלו ׳ומ 1 Kings 18:43 ׳אין מ literally nought of anything ! Jeremiah 39:12 ואל תעשׂ לו מאומה רָּע; strengthened by כֹּל Genesis 39:23; 2 Samuel 3:35; after אִם = surely not, 2 Samuel 3:35; in interrogative sentence Numbers 22:38; in affirm. sentence Deuteronomy 24:10 כִּיתַֿשֶּׁה ׳בְרֵעֲךָ מַשֵּׁאת מ a pledge of (= consisting in) anything, 2 Samuel 13:2 (euphemism), 2 Kings 5:20. Used adverbially, 1 Samuel 21:3 את הדבר ׳אישׁ אל ידע מ let no one know of the matter in anything at all.

מָאוֺר, [מְאוּרָה] see אור.

[מאזן], מאֹזְנַיִם see II. אזן.

Topical Lexicon
Meaning and Usage Overview

מְאוּמָה (meʾumah) functions as an indefinite pronoun that denotes “anything,” “something,” or, when used with a negative, “nothing at all.” It carries no inherent moral or qualitative charge; its significance comes from the context in which either no restriction (anything) or total exclusion (nothing) is intended.

Distribution across Canon

The form appears about thirty–two times, sprinkled from Genesis to Malachi. The heaviest concentrations are in the patriarchal narratives of Genesis, the Deuteronomic discourses, and the historical books. In most occurrences it is paired with a negative particle, underscoring completeness—either complete freedom to act or complete abstention.

Representative Passages

Genesis 22:12 – “Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him.” In the binding of Isaac, the word seals the divine prohibition of even the slightest harm.
Genesis 30:31 – “You shall not give me anything.” Jacob trusts God’s provision rather than Laban’s wages.
Genesis 39:23 – “The warden did not concern himself with anything under Joseph’s care.” Joseph’s faithfulness makes human oversight unnecessary.
Deuteronomy 24:10 – “When you lend your neighbor anything, do not enter his house to retrieve the pledge.” The term widens the scope of the law to every possible loan.
1 Samuel 25:36 – Nabal “held a feast… like a king’s feast; and Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk; so she told him nothing at all until daybreak.” Abigail’s restraint averts bloodshed.
2 Kings 4:2 – “Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.” The widow’s meager resources invite miraculous provision.
Nehemiah 5:12 – “We will restore these and require nothing from them.” Restoration is not partial but whole.
Job 34:19 – God “shows no partiality to princes, nor regards the rich more than the poor, for they are all the work of His hands.” Nothing can sway divine justice.
Jeremiah 39:12 – “Take him and look after him; do not harm him, but treat him as he requests.” Jeremiah is protected from any injury.

Themes of Integrity and Obedience

1. Total Obedience: In Genesis 22:12, withholding “anything” would have nullified Abraham’s obedience. Meʾumah underscores the demand for wholehearted faith.
2. Absolute Integrity: Joseph’s prison oversight (Genesis 39:23) and Samuel’s public accounting (1 Samuel 12:4) both affirm that nothing crooked could be found in their stewardship.
3. Thorough Mercy: In Nehemiah 5:12 the nobles promise to exact “nothing,” illustrating the covenant ideal of restorative justice.

Divine Provision and Remembering

When humans confess they have “nothing,” God often responds with provision. The widow’s oil (2 Kings 4) and Elijah’s request of the Zarephath widow (1 Kings 17:12) show that perceived lack is the prelude to divine supply. Conversely, when Israel is warned not to forget God's commands by adding “anything” or leaving “nothing” undone, the word reminds the nation that blessings are covenant–conditional (Deuteronomy 13:18).

Covenant Faithfulness

Meʾumah heightens the totalizing nature of covenant obligations. In Deuteronomy, the people are to withhold “nothing” from the poor (15:7), charge “nothing” for basic humanitarian loans (24:10–13), and add “nothing” to God’s word (4:2). Thus the tiny pronoun guards both mercy toward neighbor and fidelity toward God.

Pastoral and Devotional Implications

• Wholeness of Heart: The believer should not hold back “anything” from the Lord (Romans 12:1 echoes this principle).
• Integrity in Stewardship: Christian leaders are called to such transparency that others need “look to nothing” beyond their word (1 Timothy 3:2).
• Confidence in Lack: When resources appear to be “nothing,” faith looks to God who multiplies loaves and fishes (Matthew 14:17).

Echoes in the New Testament

Though meʾumah itself is Hebrew, its concept resurfaces in the Greek oudén (“nothing”). Jesus affirms, “apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Paul testifies that he “withheld nothing that was profitable” (Acts 20:20). The believer’s sufficiency in Christ fulfills the Old Testament pattern: confessing lack apart from God yet holding back nothing from Him.

Conclusion

A single word that can mean “anything” or “nothing” reinforces the comprehensive claims of God upon His people and the thoroughness of His providential care. Whether prohibiting even the slightest harm to Isaac, requiring absolute fairness in commerce, or highlighting a widow’s utter dependence, מְאוּמָה presses the reader to consider whether anything is being withheld from devotion to the Lord—or whether, by grace, nothing is lacking for life and godliness.

Forms and Transliterations
וּמְא֖וּמָה וּמְא֙וּמָה֙ ומאומה לִמְאֽוּמָה׃ למאומה׃ מְא֑וּמָּה מְא֑וּמָה מְא֔וּמָה מְא֖וּמָה מְא֗וּמָה מְא֙וּמָה֙ מְא֛וּמָה מְא֣וּמָה מְאֽוּמָה׃ מאומה מאומה׃ lim’ūmāh lim·’ū·māh limUmah mə’ūmāh mə’ūmmāh mə·’ū·māh mə·’ūm·māh meUmah meUmmah ū·mə·’ū·māh ūmə’ūmāh umeUmah
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Englishman's Concordance
Genesis 22:12
HEB: תַּ֥עַשׂ ל֖וֹ מְא֑וּמָּה כִּ֣י ׀ עַתָּ֣ה
KJV: neither do thou any thing unto him: for now
INT: nay and do thing for now

Genesis 30:31
HEB: תִתֶּן־ לִ֣י מְא֔וּמָה אִם־ תַּֽעֲשֶׂה־
NAS: You shall not give me anything. If
KJV: Thou shalt not give me any thing: if thou wilt do
INT: shall not give anything If will do

Genesis 39:6
HEB: יָדַ֤ע אִתּוֹ֙ מְא֔וּמָה כִּ֥י אִם־
NAS: and with him [there] he did not concern himself with anything except
KJV: and he knew not ought he had, save
INT: concern with anything for had save

Genesis 39:9
HEB: חָשַׂ֤ךְ מִמֶּ֙נִּי֙ מְא֔וּמָה כִּ֥י אִם־
KJV: hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because
INT: has withheld than thing for lo

Genesis 39:23
HEB: אֶֽת־ כָּל־ מְא֙וּמָה֙ בְּיָד֔וֹ בַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר
KJV: looked not to any thing [that was] under his hand;
INT: supervise to any thing charge because

Genesis 40:15
HEB: לֹא־ עָשִׂ֣יתִֽי מְא֔וּמָה כִּֽי־ שָׂמ֥וּ
KJV: and here also have I done nothing that they should put
INT: not have done nothing should have put

Numbers 22:38
HEB: אוּכַ֖ל דַּבֵּ֣ר מְא֑וּמָה הַדָּבָ֗ר אֲשֶׁ֨ר
NAS: to speak anything at all? The word
KJV: to say any thing? the word
INT: able to speak anything the word after

Deuteronomy 13:17
HEB: יִדְבַּ֧ק בְּיָדְךָ֛ מְא֖וּמָה מִן־ הַחֵ֑רֶם
KJV: And there shall cleave nought of the cursed thing
INT: shall cling to your hand nought that which

Deuteronomy 24:10
HEB: בְרֵֽעֲךָ מַשַּׁ֣את מְא֑וּמָה לֹא־ תָבֹ֥א
NAS: a loan of any sort, you shall not enter
KJV: thy brother any thing,
INT: your neighbor A loan of any shall not enter

Judges 14:6
HEB: כְּשַׁסַּ֣ע הַגְּדִ֔י וּמְא֖וּמָה אֵ֣ין בְּיָד֑וֹ
NAS: though he had nothing in his hand;
KJV: a kid, and [he had] nothing in his hand:
INT: tears A young nothing had his hand

1 Samuel 12:4
HEB: מִיַּד־ אִ֖ישׁ מְאֽוּמָה׃
NAS: us or taken anything from any man's
KJV: us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man's
INT: hand any anything

1 Samuel 12:5
HEB: מְצָאתֶ֛ם בְּיָדִ֖י מְא֑וּמָה וַיֹּ֖אמֶר עֵֽד׃
KJV: that ye have not found ought in my hand.
INT: you have found my hand ought said witness

1 Samuel 20:26
HEB: דִבֶּ֥ר שָׁא֛וּל מְא֖וּמָה בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא
NAS: did not speak anything that day,
KJV: spake not any thing that day:
INT: speak Saul anything day he

1 Samuel 20:39
HEB: לֹֽא־ יָדַ֣ע מְא֑וּמָה אַ֤ךְ יְהֽוֹנָתָן֙
NAS: was not aware of anything; only
KJV: knew not any thing: only Jonathan
INT: was not aware of anything only Jonathan

1 Samuel 21:3
HEB: אַל־ יֵ֧דַע מְא֛וּמָה אֶת־ הַדָּבָ֛ר
INT: nay acknowledge fault act after

1 Samuel 25:7
HEB: נִפְקַ֤ד לָהֶם֙ מְא֔וּמָה כָּל־ יְמֵ֖י
NAS: have they missed anything all
KJV: which were with us, we hurt them not, neither was there ought missing
INT: nor missed anything all the days

1 Samuel 25:15
HEB: וְלֹֽא־ פָקַ֣דְנוּ מְא֔וּמָה כָּל־ יְמֵי֙
NAS: did we miss anything as long
KJV: neither missed we any thing, as long as
INT: nor miss anything long as

1 Samuel 25:21
HEB: אֲשֶׁר־ ל֖וֹ מְא֑וּמָה וַיָּֽשֶׁב־ לִ֥י
KJV: [fellow] hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed
INT: of all after nothing has returned evil

1 Samuel 29:3
HEB: מָצָ֤אתִי בוֹ֙ מְא֔וּמָה מִיּ֥וֹם נָפְל֖וֹ
NAS: no fault in him from the day
KJV: and I have found no fault in him since
INT: no have found fault the day deserted

2 Samuel 3:35
HEB: א֥וֹ כָל־ מְאֽוּמָה׃
NAS: bread or anything else before
KJV: bread, or ought else, till
INT: or else anything

2 Samuel 13:2
HEB: לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת לָ֖הּ מְאֽוּמָה׃
NAS: to Amnon to do anything to her.
KJV: for him to do any thing to her.
INT: to Amnon to do anything

1 Kings 10:21
HEB: בִּימֵ֥י שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה לִמְאֽוּמָה׃
NAS: it was not considered valuable in the days
KJV: none [were of] silver: it was nothing accounted
INT: the days of Solomon valuable

1 Kings 18:43
HEB: וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֵ֣ין מְא֑וּמָה וַיֹּ֕אמֶר שֻׁ֖ב
KJV: and said, [There is] nothing. And he said,
INT: and said There nothing said Go

2 Kings 5:20
HEB: וְלָקַחְתִּ֥י מֵאִתּ֖וֹ מְאֽוּמָה׃
NAS: him and take something from him.
KJV: after him, and take somewhat of him.
INT: after and take something

2 Chronicles 9:20
HEB: בִּימֵ֥י שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה לִמְאֽוּמָה׃
NAS: was not considered valuable in the days
KJV: none [were of] silver; it was [not] any thing accounted
INT: the days of Solomon valuable

32 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 3972
32 Occurrences


lim·’ū·māh — 2 Occ.
mə·’ū·māh — 27 Occ.
mə·’ūm·māh — 1 Occ.
ū·mə·’ū·māh — 2 Occ.

3971
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