Original Word: מַטְעַם
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: mat`am
Pronunciation: mat-awm' or mat-am-maw'
Phonetic Spelling: (mat-am')
KJV: dainty (meat), savoury meat
NASB: savory dish, savory food, delicacies
Word Origin: [from H2938 (טָּעַם - taste)]

1. a delicacy

dainty meat, savoury meat

Or (feminine) matiammah {mat-am-maw'}; from ta'am; a delicacy -- dainty (meat), savoury meat.

see HEBREW ta'am

Word Origin
from taam
Definition
tasty or savory food, dainties
NASB Translation
delicacies (2), savory dish (3), savory food (3).

[מַטְעָם] noun masculine only plural tasty or savoury food, dainties — מַטְעַמִּים Genesis 27:4,7,9,14,17,31 (all J); suffix מַטְעַמּוֺתָיו Proverbs 23:3; מַטְעַמֹּתָיו Proverbs 23:6.

Range of Meaning and Literary Placement

מַטְעַם (matʿam) designates specially prepared, savory delicacies. Its eight occurrences fall into two literary zones: the patriarchal narrative of Genesis 27 (six times) and the wisdom sayings of Proverbs 23 (twice). In both settings the term points to food that is desirable, carefully prepared, and capable of influencing the disposition or decisions of others.

Narrative Context: Genesis 27 and the Dynamics of Blessing

Isaac’s household turns on the preparation of מַטְעַם. The aged patriarch longs for “savory food, such as I love” (Genesis 27:4), expecting it to precede the covenantal blessing of the firstborn. Esau’s hunting skill, Rebekah’s culinary knowledge, and Jacob’s opportunism converge around this dish:

• Genesis 27:9—Rebekah instructs Jacob to secure “two choice young goats, and I will make them into savory food for your father, the kind he loves.”
• Genesis 27:17—She then gives Jacob “the savory food and the bread she had made.”
• Genesis 27:31—Esau arrives later with his own “savory food,” only to discover the blessing has passed to Jacob.

The narrative underscores how physical appetite can become a conduit for covenantal decisions. Isaac’s sensory limitations (dim eyes, strong craving) contrast with the irrevocable spiritual weight of the blessing he confers. מַטְעַם functions as both a legitimate expression of filial honor and the medium for familial deception, illustrating how God’s sovereign purposes advance even through flawed human motives.

Wisdom Context: Proverbs 23 and the Perils of Seductive Fare

Proverbs universalizes the lesson. What is tangibly desirable may veil manipulation:

• Proverbs 23:3—“Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive.”
• Proverbs 23:6—“Do not eat the bread of a man who is stingy, and do not desire his delicacies.”

Here מַטְעַם symbolizes enticements offered by the powerful or miserly, masking self-serving intent. The sage warns that unchecked appetite compromises discernment, leading to relational bondage and spiritual loss.

Theological Themes: Appetite, Deception, and Blessing

1. Appetite as a Test: Scripture presents hunger—literal and figurative—as a proving ground of faith. Esau had earlier forfeited his birthright over stew; Isaac nearly repeats the pattern with savory game.
2. Deception’s Tools: מַטְעַם reveals how good gifts, when elevated above obedience, become instruments of deceit.
3. Divine Sovereignty: Despite human scheming, the Abrahamic blessing rests on divine election, not on cuisine or cunning.

Historical Insight: Meals in Ancient Near Eastern Culture

Formal meals sealed covenants, expressed honor, and forged alliances. A carefully prepared dish signified respect and carried social leverage. Genesis 27 portrays a private covenantal meal within a family; Proverbs 23 assumes a banquet-host relationship in the royal court. Both settings treat food as relational currency.

Christological and Redemptive Implications

Genesis 27 prefigures the greater firstborn, Jesus Christ, who secures blessing not by culinary manipulation but by perfect obedience. Where Isaac’s table occasioned confusion, the Lord’s Table clarifies redemption: “This is My body, which is for you” (1 Corinthians 11:24). Disciples receive eternal inheritance through faith, not through satisfying the palate of an earthly patriarch.

Ministry Application

• Guard the Heart: Desire for legitimate comforts can erode spiritual vigilance. Leaders must weigh how hospitality and generosity might unintentionally sway judgment.
• Discern Motives: Proverbs urges believers to evaluate invitations and gifts, asking whether they advance God’s purposes or mask self-interest.
• Emphasize the True Feast: Direct congregations from temporary delicacies to the sustaining Word—“Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD” (Deuteronomy 8:3; affirmed by Jesus, Matthew 4:4).

Questions for Reflection

1. How does my pursuit of comfort influence the decisions I make for my family or ministry?
2. Am I alert to the ways others might use gifts or hospitality to shape my choices?
3. In what practical ways can I model satisfaction in Christ over the allure of earthly delicacies?

Summary

מַטְעַם serves as a tangible reminder that what pleases the palate can sway the heart. Genesis 27 warns that appetites, when unguarded, entangle us in manipulation, yet God’s redemptive plan prevails. Proverbs 23 extends the caution to every table, urging discernment and self-control. For the believer, true satisfaction lies not in savory fare but in the steadfast blessing secured by the Firstborn over all creation.

הַמַּטְעַמִּ֛ים המטעמים לְמַטְעַמֹּתָֽיו׃ לְמַטְעַמּוֹתָ֑יו למטעמותיו למטעמתיו׃ מַטְעַמִּ֔ים מַטְעַמִּ֖ים מַטְעַמִּ֛ים מַטְעַמִּ֜ים מטעמים ham·maṭ·‘am·mîm hammaṭ‘ammîm hammatamMim lə·maṭ·‘am·mō·ṯāw lə·maṭ·‘am·mō·w·ṯāw ləmaṭ‘ammōṯāw ləmaṭ‘ammōwṯāw lematammoTav maṭ‘ammîm maṭ·‘am·mîm matamMimInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts