H0572 H0572
sack, grain bag — a large bag for carrying provisions, exclusively in the Joseph narrative
Amtachat is one of the most narratively specialized nouns in the Hebrew Bible, appearing exclusively in Genesis 42-44 within the Joseph story. It designates the large sacks in which Joseph's brothers carried grain from Egypt — the very sacks into which the steward planted silver and the divination cup. The recurring phrase befi amtachat ('in the mouth of the sack,' Gen 42:27; 43:12, 21; 44:1-2, 8) drives the narrative suspense: each opening deepens the brothers' terror. Distinct from the more common saq, it suggests a specialized travel bag. Spanish 'costal,' French 'sac,' and German 'Sack' render the utilitarian sense.
Senses
1. sack, grain bag — A large bag for transporting grain, attested exclusively in the Joseph cycle (Gen 42-44). Distinguished from the common Hebrew saq, it appears in singular construct (Gen 44:2, 12) and plural with suffixes (Gen 43:18, 21-22). The phrase befi amtachat ('in the mouth of the sack') recurs as a narrative device: brothers discover hidden silver (Gen 42:27-28) then the planted cup (Gen 44:12). 15×
AR["عُدُولَ", "عُدُولَنَا", "عُدُولِكُمْ", "عُدُولِنَا", "عِدْلَهُ", "عِدْلِ", "عِدْلِهِ", "فِي-عُدُولِكُمْ", "فِي-عُدُولِنَا", "فِي-عِدْلِ", "فِي-عِدْلِي"]·ben["আমাদের-থলি", "আমাদের-থলিতে", "আমাদের-থলির", "আমার-থলিতে", "তার-থলি", "তার-থলির", "তোমাদের-থলিতে", "তোমাদের-থলির", "থলি", "থলিতে", "থলির"]·DE["des-Sackes", "die-Säcke", "eurer-Säcke", "im-Sack", "in-eure-Säcke", "in-meinem-Sack", "in-unsere-Säcke", "seinen-Sack", "seines-Sackes", "unsere-Säcke", "unserer-Säcke"]·EN["his-sack", "in-my-sack", "in-our-sacks", "in-sack-of", "in-your-sacks", "our-sacks", "sack-of", "sacks-of", "your-sacks"]·FR["dans-mon-sack", "dans-notre-sacks", "dans-sack-de", "dans-ton-sacks", "notre-sacks", "sack-de", "sacks-de", "son-sack", "ton-sacks"]·heb["אמתחת", "אמתחתו-ו", "אמתחתיכם-כם", "אמתחתינו-נו", "ב-אמתחת", "ב-אמתחתי-י", "ב-אמתחתיכם-כם", "ב-אמתחתינו-נו"]·HI["अपने-थैले", "अपने-थैले-के", "तुम्हारे-थैलों-के", "तुम्हारे-थैलों-में", "बोरा-अपना", "बोरे-के", "बोरे-के-उसके", "बोरे-में", "बोरों", "बोरों-के-अपने", "मेरे-थैले-में", "हमारे-थैलों-में"]·ID["dalam-karung-karung-kami", "dalam-karung-karungmu", "dalam-karungku", "di-karung", "karung", "karung-karung", "karung-karung-kami", "karung-karungmu", "karungnya"]·IT["in-mio-sack", "in-nostro-sacks", "in-sack-di", "in-tuo-sacks", "nostro-sacks", "sack-di", "sacks-di", "suo-sack", "tuo-sacks"]·jav["ing-karung", "ing-karung-karung-kita", "ing-karung-karung-sampéyan-sami", "ing-karung-kula", "karung", "karung-karung", "karung-karung-kita", "karung-karung-sampéyan-sami", "karungipun"]·KO["그의-자루를", "그의-자루의", "나의-자루-에", "너희의-자루들-에", "너희의-자루들의", "우리의-자루들-에", "우리의-자루들을", "우리의-자루들의", "자루-에서", "자루들을", "자루의"]·PT["em-saco-de", "em-sacos-nossos", "em-sacos-vossos", "no-saco-meu", "saco-de", "saco-dele", "sacos-de", "sacos-nossos", "sacos-vossos"]·RU["в-мешках-ваших", "в-мешках-наших", "в-мешке", "в-мешке-моём", "в-мешки-наши", "мешка", "мешка-его", "мешки", "мешки-наши", "мешков-ваших", "мешков-наших", "мешок-свой"]·ES["costal-de", "costal-suyo", "costales-de", "costales-nuestros", "costales-vuestros", "en-costal-de", "en-costal-mío", "en-costales-nuestros", "en-costales-nuestros?", "en-costales-vuestros"]·SW["amtacho", "katika", "katika-mifuko-yetu", "kinywa", "mfuko-wake", "mifuko-yetu", "mtaka", "na-wakainama", "wangu", "ya-mtumbi-wake"]·TR["çuvallarımıza", "çuvallarımızda", "çuvallarımızı", "çuvallarımızın", "çuvallarını", "çuvallarınızda", "çuvallarınızın", "çuvalımdaydı", "çuvalında", "çuvalını", "çuvalının"]·urd["بوروں-اپنے", "بوروں-تمہارے", "بوروں-تمہارے-میں", "بوروں-ہمارے-میں", "بورے-اس-کے", "بورے-میرے-میں", "تھیلی-اُس-کی", "تھیلی-اپنی", "تھیلی-میں", "تھیلی-کے", "تھیلیوں-اپنی", "تھیلیوں-کو"]
Related Senses
H2719 1. sword, weapon of war (410×)H4196 1. altar (place of sacrifice) (403×)H7393 1. chariot, chariotry (117×)H7198 1. bow (weapon) (72×)H7979 1. table (71×)H7782 1. ram's horn trumpet (69×)H4294 2. staff, rod, scepter (63×)H4043 1. shield, defensive weapon (60×)H0646 1. ephod (priestly garment) (49×)H8504 1. blue (violet-blue yarn/fabric) (49×)H2595 1. spear, lance (48×)H2671 1. arrow, projectile weapon (46×)H4818 1. chariot, war-chariot (44×)H3658 1. lyre, harp (stringed instrument) (42×)H1537 1. Gilgal (place name) (41×)H0713 1. purple (fabric/dye) (38×)H0905 3. poles, staves (37×)H7392 1. Qal participle: rider, charioteer (37×)H4501 1. cultic lampstand (menorah) (36×)H0212 1. wheel (35×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† אַמְתַּ֫חַת n.f. sack, only Gn 42–44 (E); א׳ constr. Gn 44:2, 12; sf. אַמְתַּחְתִּי 42:28, אַמְתַּחְתּוֹ 42:27 + 2 times; pl. cstr. אַמְתְּחֹת 44:1; sf. אַמְתְּחֹתֵינוּ 43:18 + 3 times; אַמְתְּחֹתֵיכֶם 43:12, 23;—sack(s) in wh. brethren of Joseph carried corn from Egypt; in phr. בְּפִי אַמ׳ Gn 42:27 in the mouth of the sack, so 43:12, 21; 44:1, 2, 8; elsewhere 42:28; 43:18, 21, 22, 23; 44:1, 11(×2), 12 (all J).