מָ֫וֶת161 H4194
Death — the event of dying, the state of being dead, death personified as a cosmic power, and death as judicial penalty or standard of comparison
Mavet is far more than a clinical term for biological cessation. In Hebrew Scripture it functions as event, state, power, and penalty all at once. As event, it marks the moment life ends (Deut 19:6); as state, it names the shadowy realm from which the psalmist cries for deliverance (Ps 116:15); as personified force, it becomes a covenant partner for the wicked (Isa 28:15) and a rival to love itself (Song 8:6). Arabic mawt preserves the same breadth, while Korean jug-eum and Swahili mauti each capture different slices. The plural motei in Ezek 28:10 — 'deaths of the uncircumcised' — hints at death as something that can be multiplied, an intensified or violent plural that pushes even further beyond mere biology.
6. sense 6 — The plural construct motei ('deaths of') in Ezek 28:10, describing the ignominious 'deaths of the uncircumcised.' Spanish muertes de and English 'deaths of' preserve the plural form. This rare plural intensifies the concept — not merely one death but a quality of dying associated with shame and divine judgment against the prince of Tyre. The plural may be an abstract-intensive ('a death-like death') or a genuine plural indicating the accumulated deaths of the disgraced. It stands alone as the only plural occurrence, marking the outer boundary of the word's morphological range. 1×
AR["مِيتَةَ"]·ben["মৃত্যুতে"]·DE["Tod"]·EN["deaths-of-"]·FR["mort"]·heb["מותי"]·HI["मौतें"]·ID["Kematian-"]·IT["morte"]·jav["Pejah"]·KO["죽음들을-"]·PT["Mortes-de"]·RU["смертью"]·ES["Muertes-de"]·SW["Kifo-cha"]·TR["ölümü"]·urd["موتیں-"]
▼ 5 more senses below
Senses
1. death (event of dying) — Death as the physical event or process of dying — ceasing to live. This is the dominant sense (107x), covering natural death, violent death, and references to the deaths of named individuals. Arabic mawt and Korean jug-eum both center on the concrete cessation of life. Key constructions include yom mavet ('day of death,' Gen 27:2), shenat mavet ('year of death,' Isa 6:1), ad mavet ('until death,' Num 35:25), and the pivotal deuteronomistic formula setting 'life and death' before Israel (Deut 30:15, 19). From Deuteronomy's capital punishment laws (Deut 21:22; 22:26) to the narratives of royal and prophetic deaths, this sense anchors the word in human mortality. 107×
AR["المَوتَ","المَوتِ","المَوْتَ","المَوْتِ","الْمَوْتِ","مَوْتٌ","مَوْتٍ"]·ben["মৃত্যু","মৃত্যুর"]·DE["Tod","starb"]·EN["death"]·FR["mort","mourir"]·heb["מוות","מות"]·HI["मृत्यु","मृत्यु-का","मृत्यु-की","मृत्यु-के","म्रित्यु-क"]·ID["Maut","kematian","mati","maut"]·IT["morte"]·jav["Pejah","pejah"]·KO["사망의","좽음","좽음-의","좽음-이","좽음을","죽음-으로","죽음-의","죽음의"]·PT["da-morte","de-morte","morte"]·RU["смерти","смерть"]·ES["la-muerte","muerte","¡Muerte"]·SW["kifo","mauti","wewe","ya-kifo"]·TR["olum","ölüm","ölüme","ölümü","ölümün"]·urd["موت","موت کے","موت-کا","موت-کی","موت-کے"]
Deut 19:6, Deut 21:22, Deut 22:26, 1 Sam 5:11, 1 Sam 20:31, 1 Sam 26:16, 2 Sam 12:5, 2 Sam 19:28, 2 Sam 22:5, 2 Sam 22:6, 1 Kgs 2:26, 2 Kgs 2:21 (+38 more)
2. death (state or realm of the dead) — Death as a state, condition, or realm — the ongoing domain of the dead from which one may be delivered or in which one is trapped. Arabic fi-l-mawt ('in death') and French dans la mort confirm the locative/stative reading. Appears 15 times in contexts like Job's plea to be hidden in Sheol (Job 5:20 'he shall redeem you from death'), the Psalms' imagery of death's snares and cords (Ps 18:4-5), and the legal purity contexts where death-contact produces contamination (Lev 11:31-32; Num 6:7). Where sense 1 is punctiliar, this sense is durative — death as a place one inhabits. 15×
AR["بِ-المَوتِ","بِ-مَوْتِهِمْ","فِي-المَوْتِ","فِي-مَوْتِهِمْ","مِن-المَوتِ","مِنَ-","مِنَ-المَوت","مِنَ-المَوتِ","مِنَ-المَوْتِ","مِنَ-الْمَوْتِ","مِنْ-الْمَوْتِ"]·ben["-মৃত্যু-থেকে","তাদের-মৃত্যুতে","মৃত্যু-থেকে","মৃত্যুতে","মৃত্যুতে-","মৃত্যুর-চেয়ে"]·DE["in-Tod","in-ihr-Tod","in-starb","von-Tod","von-starb"]·EN["from-death","in-death","in-the-death","in-their-death","than-death"]·FR["dans-leur-mort","dans-mourir","de-mort","de-mourir","mort"]·heb["ב-מוות","ב-מתם","מ-מוות"]·HI["मरने-में-उनके","मृत्यु-में","मृत्यु-से","में-उनके मरने","से-मृत्यु"]·ID["dalam-kematian","dari-kematian","ketika-kematian-mereka","ketika-matinya"]·IT["da-morte","in-loro-morte","morte","nel-morte"]·jav["Panjenengan","ing-pejah","nalika-pejah-ipun","naléka-pejah","saking-pati","saking-pejah","tinimbang-pejah"]·KO["그들-의-죽음에","그들의-죽음-에","보다-좽음","부터-죽음의","사망-에서","에서","에서-좽음","좽음-에서","죽음-에서","죽음에서"]·PT["ao-morrerem-deles","da-morte","de-morte","na-morte","na-morte-deles","que-a-morte"]·RU["в-смерти","в-смерти-их","от-смерти","смерти -","смертью"]·ES["de-la-muerte","de-muerte","en-la-muerte","en-morir-ellos","en-su-muerte","más-que-muerte"]·SW["Bmtm","kuliko-mauti","kutoka-kifo","kutoka-mauti","kwa-mauti","mautini","wakati-wa-kufa-kwao"]·TR["-den-ölümden","olumden","öldüklerinde","ölümde","ölümde-","ölümden","ölümden-","ölümlerinde-"]·urd["-موت-سے","-موت-میں","اُن-کی-موت-میں","سے-موت","موت-سے","موت-میں","مِن-موت","مِن-مَوت","میں-مرنے-اُن-کے"]
3. death (personified or as power) — Death personified as a cosmic power or force, often in poetic and prophetic texts. Arabic al-mawt (with the definite article marking personification) and the consistent use of definite forms in the target languages confirm the rhetorical elevation. Appears 14 times: Pharaoh begging Moses to remove 'this death' as though it were a living agent (Exod 10:17), the famous deuteronomistic pair 'life and death' presented as rival powers (Deut 30:15, 19), Ruth's oath 'if anything but death parts me from you' (Ruth 1:17), and supremely Song 8:6 where 'love is strong as Death' — the only time mavet stands as an equal to the most powerful human emotion. 14×
AR["المَوت","المَوْتَ","المَوْتِ","الْ-مَوْتَ","الْمَوْتَ","الْمَوْتِ","فِي-يَوْمِ","وَ-المَوتُ","وَ-مَوْتًا","وَالْمَوْتَ","وَيَوْمُ"]·ben["-তাঁর-বিশ্বস্তদের","-মৃত্যুকে","-মৃত্যুর","-মৃত্যুর।","এই-মৃত্যু","এবং-মৃত্যু","এবং-সেই-মৃত্যু","মৃত্যুর","মৃত্যুর-ঘুমে","সেই-মৃত্যু"]·DE["Tod","der-Tod","der-starb","und-der-Tod","und-starb"]·EN["and-Death","and-death","and-the-death","death","is-the-death","the-death"]·FR["et-le-mort","et-mort","le-mort","le-mourir"]·heb["ה-מוות","ה-מוותה","ה-מות","ו-ה-מוות","ו-מוות"]·HI["और-मृत्यु","और-मृत्यु।","मृत्यु","मृत्यु-का","मृत्यु-की-नींद","मृत्यु-के","मृत्यु-को","म्रित्यु-कि","म्रित्यु-के"]·ID["dan-kematian","dan-maut","kematian","maut"]·IT["e-il-morte","e-morte","il-morte","morte"]·jav["ing-pejah","kang-pejah","lan-pejah","pejah","pejahipun"]·KO["그-죽음을","그-죽음의","그-죽음이","그리고-그-죽음을","그리고-죽음을","그리고-죽음이","사망을","이-죽음을","좽음-의","죽음-을","죽음-이라","죽음의"]·PT["a-morte","e-a-morte","e-morte","o-sono-da-morte","é-a-morte"]·RU["и-смерть","смерти","смерти;","смерть","смертью","сном-смерти"]·ES["la-muerte","y-Muerte","y-la-muerte","y-muerte"]·SW["kifo","kifo-cha","mauti","na-kifo","na-mauti","wa-kifo","watoto-wa-kiume","ya-kufa"]·TR["-ölüm","-ölümün","olumu","olumun","ve-ölüm","ve-ölümü","ölümü","ölümün"]·urd["-موت-کی","اور-موت","موت","موت-کا","موت-کو","موت-کی","موت-کے","موت-کے۔"]
Exod 10:17, Deut 30:15, Deut 30:19, Ruth 1:17, 1 Sam 15:32, 1 Sam 20:3, Job 28:22, Ps 13:3, Ps 116:15, Prov 26:18, Eccl 7:1, Eccl 8:8 (+2 more)
4. death (as penalty or fate) — Death as a judicial penalty, destined fate, or appointed consequence — being 'put to death' or consigned to death by divine or royal decree. Spanish a la muerte and German fuer Tod mark the purposive-judicial dimension. Appears 14 times in contexts of capital sentencing (2 Sam 15:21 'whether in death or in life'), divine deliverance from execution (Ps 68:20 'to God belong the issues from death'), and the paradox of desiring death as escape (Job 3:21). Ps 118:18 captures the theological tension: 'The LORD has disciplined me severely, but he has not given me over to death.' 14×
AR["إِلَى-الْمَوْتِ","المَوْتَ","لِ-الْمَوْتِ","لِ-لمَوْتِ","لِ-مَوْتِهِمْ","لِـ-الْمَوْتِ","لِلمَوتِ-","لِلْمَوْتِ","لِمَوْتِهِ","وَ-لِلمَوت"]·ben["-মৃত্যুতে","-মৃত্যুর-জন্য","তাদের-মৃত্যুতে","তার-মৃত্যুর-জন্য","মৃত্যুতে","মৃত্যুর-কাছে","মৃত্যুর-জন্য","যাহ"]·DE["Tod","bei-ihr-Tod","fuer-Tod","und-zu-Tod","zum-Tod"]·EN["at-their-death","belong-from-death","but-to-death","for-death","for-the-death","the-death","to-death","to-his-death","to-the-death"]·FR["et-à-mourir","mort","pour-mort","à-mort","à-mourir","à-son-mort-lui"]·heb["ו-ל-מוות","ל-מוות","ל-מות","ל-מותו","ל-מותם"]·HI["उनकी-मृत्यु-में","और-मृत्यु-के-लिए","के-लिए-मौत","को-मृत्यु","मृत्यु-की-ओर","मृत्यु-के-लिए","मृत्यु-को","मृत्युको"]·ID["dari-kematian","kematian","kepada-maut","kepada-maut,","menuju-kematiannya","pada-kematian-mereka","tetapi-kepada-kematian","untuk-kematian","untuk-mati"]·IT["al-morte","e-morte","morte","per-morte","per-morte-suo"]·jav["dhateng-pati","dhateng-pejah","dhumateng-pejah","kangge-pati","kanggé-pejah","kanggé-pejah-ipun","nanging-dhateng-pejah","sampun-ngantos"]·KO["그-의-좽음-을-위한-것이다","그들-의-죽음-에","그리고-사망-에","에게-죽음","에게-죽음에게","좽음-에","죽음-에","죽음-에게","죽음-으로","죽음에","죽음에-","죽음에게-","죽음에게-속한-자는","죽음으로"]·PT["da-morte","mas-à-morte","para-a-morte","para-a-morte,","para-a-morte;","para-morte","para-morte-dele","para-morte;","para-sua-morte","pela-morte","à-morte"]·RU["-к-смерти","в-смерти-их","для-смерти","к-смерти","к-смерти-своей","на-смерть","но-смерти","от-смерти","смерти"]·ES["a-la-muerte","la-muerte","para-la-muerte","para-muerte","para-muerte-de-él","para-su-muerte","pero-a-la-muerte"]·SW["katika-kifo-chao","kifo","kutoka-mauti","kwa-kifo","kwa-mauti","kwenye-kifo","lakini-kwa-mauti","mauti","ni-kwa-mauti-yake"]·TR["için-ölüm","olume-","ve-ölüme","ölüm-için","ölüm-için-","ölüme","ölüme-","ölümlerinde-onların","ölümü","ölümüne-onun"]·urd["لِ-اُن-کی-موت-کو","لِ-ہَ-موت-سے","لیکن-موت-کے-حوالے","موت-اپنی-کے-لیے","موت-تک","موت-کا","موت-کو","موت-کی-طرف","موت-کے-لیے"]
2 Sam 15:21, Job 3:21, Ps 68:20, Ps 73:4, Ps 118:18, Prov 11:19, Prov 24:11, Isa 53:12, Jer 15:2, Jer 15:2, Jer 18:23, Jer 43:11 (+2 more)
5. death (comparative, like death) — Death as a standard of comparison in similes and analogies — something being 'like death' or measured against death. Korean jug-eum-gwa gat-i ('like death') and the consistent use of comparative particles (ke-, kemo-) in Hebrew mark the figurative register. Appears 7 times: Num 16:29 asks whether the rebels will die 'the death of all men' (death as norm), Nabal's heart 'became like stone' — dead within him (1 Sam 25:37-38), Ecclesiastes' bitter observation that human and animal death are alike (Eccl 3:19), and the Song's climactic comparison (Song 8:6). These usages treat death not as event or power but as a measuring rod for extremity. 7×
AR["عِنْدَ-مَوْتِ","كَ-المَوتِ","كَالْمَوْتِ","كَمَوْتِ","هَلْ-كَ-مَوْتِ"]·ben["-মৃত্যুর-মতো","কি-মৃত্যুর-মতো","মতো-","মৃত্যুর-মত","মৃত্যুর-মতো","যখন-মারা-গেল","যেমন-মৃত্যু"]·DE["wann-starb","wie-Tod-von","wie-starb"]·EN["as-death-of","is-like-death","like-death","like-death-of","when-died"]·FR["comme-la-mort","comme-mort","comme-mort-de","mort","quand-mourut"]·heb["ה-כ-מות","כ-כמות","כ-מוות","כ-מות"]·HI["क्या-जैसे-मृत्यु","जैसी-मृत्यु","जैसे-मरता-है","जैसे-मृत्यु","बलवान","मरने-पर","मृत्यु-की-तरह"]·ID["ketika-mati","seperti-kematian","seperti-mati","seperti-maut"]·IT["come-il-morte","come-morte","come-morte-di","morte","quando-morì"]·jav["Kadosdene-sédanipun","kados-pejah","kados-pejahipun","naléka-sedanipun"]·KO["(의문)같이","같이-좽음","사망-같아서","좽음-같네","죽음-같이","죽음-처럼"]·PT["como-a-morte","como-morte","como-morte-de","quando-morreu"]·RU["как-смерть","как-смертью","когда-умер"]·ES["como-la-muerte","como-muerte-de","cuando-murió","¿Como-muerte-de"]·SW["baada-ya-kifo-cha","je-kama-kifo-cha","kama-kifo","kama-kufa","kama-mauti"]·TR["de-olum","olum-gibi","olumu-gibi","ölüm-gibi","ölümü-gibi"]·urd["جیسی-موت","مرنے-پر","موت-کی-طرح","کیا-مرنے-کی-طرح"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
מָ֫וֶת161 n.m. Ex 10:17 death;—abs. מ׳ Dt 19:6 +; מָֽ֫וְתָה ψ 116:15; cstr. מוֹת Gn 25:11 +; sf. מוֹתִי Gn 27:2 +; pl. cstr. מוֹתֵי Ez 28:10; sf. בְּמֹתָיו Is 53:9;— 1. death, opp. life, Dt 30:15, 19 2 S 15:21; †מ׳ כל האדם the death of all men (that all go to) Nu 16:29 (J), as distinguished from violent death; יוֹם מ׳ day of death Gn 27:2 (J) Ju 13:7 1 S 15:35 +; שְׁנַת מ׳ Is 6:1; 14:28; עד מ׳ Nu…