Lexical Summary meumah: Anything, something, nothing Original Word: מְאוּמָה 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 Originfrom 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, 386 Köii. 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. 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. 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). 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 umeUmahLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman'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 Genesis 39:6 Genesis 39:9 Genesis 39:23 Genesis 40:15 Numbers 22:38 Deuteronomy 13:17 Deuteronomy 24:10 Judges 14:6 1 Samuel 12:4 1 Samuel 12:5 1 Samuel 20:26 1 Samuel 20:39 1 Samuel 21:3 1 Samuel 25:7 1 Samuel 25:15 1 Samuel 25:21 1 Samuel 29:3 2 Samuel 3:35 2 Samuel 13:2 1 Kings 10:21 1 Kings 18:43 2 Kings 5:20 2 Chronicles 9:20 32 Occurrences |