H4229a H4229a
Wipe, blot out; to erase by wiping — whether cleansing tears, obliterating names, or destroying the living from the earth
At its core, machah is the gesture of drawing a hand or cloth across a surface to remove what is there. From this concrete action radiates the full spectrum of biblical erasure: God wipes away tears from every face (Isa 25:8), but also blots out the memory of Amalek (Exod 17:14) and threatens to erase names from the book of life (Exod 32:33). The Flood narrative uses the word devastatingly — God 'wiped out' every living thing from the face of the ground (Gen 7:23). Spanish 'borrar' (to erase) and German 'auswischen' (to wipe out) capture the same dual physical-metaphorical range that makes this verb so theologically potent.
Senses
1. blot out, erase — The Qal active sense of blotting out or erasing a written record, name, or sin — the dominant metaphorical usage. God declares 'I will blot out from my book whoever has sinned against me' (Exod 32:33); the memory of Amalek shall be blotted out (Exod 17:14); in Isaiah 43:25 God says 'I am he who blots out your transgressions.' Spanish 'borrar' and 'borrarás' consistently reflect this erasure-of-record sense across 15 occurrences. 15×
AR["أَمحوهُ", "أَمْحُو", "المَاحِي", "اِمحُني", "اِمْحُ", "تَمْحُو", "لِيَمْحُو", "مَحَوْتَ", "مَحَوْتُ", "مَحْوًا", "وَ-أَمْحُو", "وَأَمْحُو", "وَيَمْحُو"]·ben["আমি-মুছে-দেব", "আমি-মুছে-দেব-তাকে", "এবং-আমি-মুছে-দেব", "এবং-মুছে-দেবেন", "তুমি-মুছে-দিয়েছ", "মুছে-দাও-আমাকে", "মুছে-দিই", "মুছে-দিয়েছি", "মুছে-দেবে", "মুছে-ফেল", "মুছে-ফেলব", "মুছে-ফেলে", "মোছন-করতে"]·DE["[מחה]", "[מחיתי]", "blot-mich-heraus", "blotting-heraus", "du-haben-blotted-heraus", "du-soll-tilgen-heraus", "ich-will-vertilgen", "ich-wird-blot-heraus", "ich-wird-blot-ihn-heraus", "tilge-heraus", "und-blots-heraus", "und-ich-werde-vertilgen", "und-ich-wird-tilgen-heraus", "zu-blot-heraus"]·EN["I-have-blotted-out", "I-will-blot-him-out", "I-will-blot-out", "I-will-wipe-out", "and-I-will-blot-out", "and-I-will-wipe-out", "and-blots-out", "blot-me-out", "blot-out", "blotting-out", "to-blot-out", "who-blots-out", "you-have-blotted-out", "you-shall-blot-out"]·FR["Je---effacer-dehors", "Je---effacer-lui-dehors", "Je---wipe-dehors", "[מחה]", "[מחיתי]", "de-effacer", "effacer-moi-dehors", "effaçant-dehors", "et-Je---wipe-dehors", "et-blots-dehors", "et-je-fera-blot-dehors", "tu-devra-blot-dehors", "à-blot-dehors"]·heb["אמחה", "אמחנו", "ו-אמחה", "ו-מחה", "ו-מחיתי", "ל-מחות", "מוחה", "מחה", "מחית", "מחיתי", "מחני", "תמחה"]·HI["और-मिटाउँगा", "और-मिटाएगा", "और-मिता-दूनगा", "जो-मिटाता-है", "तूने-मिटा-दिया", "मिटा-दे", "मिटाउँगा-उसे", "मिटाउंगा-मैं", "मिटाएगा", "मिटाते-हुए", "मिटाया-मैंने", "मिता-दूनगा", "लमिटाने-को"]·ID["Aku-akan-menghapus", "Aku-akan-menghapusnya", "Aku-menghapus", "Engkau-hapus", "akan-Kuhapus", "dan-Aku-akan-menghapus", "dan-Aku-akan-menghapuskan", "dan-menghapus", "hapuskanlah", "hapuskanlah-aku", "menghapus", "untuk-menghapuskan", "yang-menghapus"]·IT["[מחה]", "[מחיתי]", "a-blot-fuori", "blot-me-fuori", "blotting-fuori", "cancello'", "da-creatura-di", "e-blots-fuori", "e-io-fara-blot-fuori", "e-io-will-wipe-fuori", "io-will-blot-fuori", "io-will-blot-lui-fuori", "io-will-wipe-fuori", "tu-dovra-blot-fuori"]·jav["Ingsun-sampun-ngapus", "Kawula-badhe-ngapus", "Kawula-badhé-busek-piyambakipun", "Kula-badhe-nyirnakaken", "Panjenengan-busek", "busek-mugi-kula", "ingkang-ngapus", "lan-Kawula-mbusak", "lan-Kula-badhe-nyirnakaken", "lan-nyirnakaken", "ngapus", "ngicali", "panjenengan-sirnaaken", "wisuhana"]·KO["그리고-쓸어-버리겠다", "그리고-지우리라-내가", "그리고-지우시리라", "내가-지우겠다", "내가-지우리라", "너는-지울지니", "쓸어-버리겠다", "지우겠다고", "지우고", "지우는-자이니라", "지우셨나이다", "지우소서", "지워-주소서", "지웠느니라"]·PT["apaga", "apaga-lo-ei", "apaga-me", "apagar", "apagarei", "apagarás", "apagaste", "apaguei", "destruirei", "e-apagarei", "e-apagará", "e-destruirei", "o-que-apaga", "para-apagar"]·RU["Ты-изгладил", "и-изгладит", "и-изглажу", "и-сотру", "изгладь", "изглаживающий", "сотри", "сотри-меня", "сотру", "сотру-его", "стереть", "стиранием", "стёр-Я"]·ES["borra", "borrar", "borrarás", "borraré", "borraste", "borré", "bórrame", "de-borrar", "el-que-borra", "lo-borraré", "y-borrará", "y-borraré"]·SW["Nimefuta", "anayefuta", "futa", "kufuta", "kufuta-kabisa", "na-atafuta", "na-nitafuta", "nifute", "nitafuta", "nitamfuta", "ufute", "umefuta", "utafuta"]·TR["Sildim", "sil", "sil-beni", "sildin", "sileceksin", "sileceğim", "sileceğim-onu", "silen", "silmek-için", "silmekle", "ve-silecek", "ve-sileceğim", "ve-sileyim"]·urd["اور-مٹا-دوں", "اور-مٹا-دوں-گا", "اور-مٹا-دے", "تُو-نے-مٹایا", "مٹا-دوں-گا", "مٹا-دے", "مٹاتے-ہوئے", "مٹانے-والا", "مٹانے-کو", "میں-مٹا-دوں-گا", "میں-مٹاؤں-گا-اُسے", "میں-نے-مٹایا"]
Gen 6:7, Gen 7:4, Exod 17:14, Exod 17:14, Exod 32:32, Exod 32:33, Deut 9:14, Deut 25:19, Deut 29:20, 2 Kgs 14:27, Ps 9:5, Ps 51:1 (+3 more)
2. be blotted out (passive) — The Nifal passive sense of being blotted out, erased, or destroyed — expressing the result of erasure upon the subject. In Genesis 7:23 'every living thing was wiped out'; Deuteronomy 25:6 aims to prevent a name being 'blotted out from Israel'; Psalm 69:28 prays 'let them be blotted out of the book of the living.' German renderings with passive constructions and French 'être effacé' confirm the passive voice across these nine instances. 9×
AR["تُمحى", "تُمْحَى", "فَ-انْمَحَوْا", "ليُمْحَوْا", "وَ-تُمْحى", "يُمحى", "يُمْحَى"]·ben["আর-মুছে-ফেলা-হয়", "এবং-তাদের-মুছে-দেওয়া-হল", "মুছে-ফেলা-হোক", "মুছে-যাবে"]·DE["[ונמחו]", "[תמחה]", "lass-ihnen-sein-blotted-heraus", "lass-sein-blotted-heraus", "sein-blotted-heraus", "soll-sein-tilgte-heraus", "und-vertilgt-wurden-sie"]·EN["and-shall-be-blotted-out", "and-they-were-wiped-out", "be-blotted-out", "let-be-blotted-out", "let-it-be-blotted-out", "let-them-be-blotted-out", "shall-be-blotted-out", "will-be-wiped-away"]·FR["[תמחה]", "devra-être-blotted-dehors", "effacer", "et-effacer", "et-ils-étaient-wiped-dehors"]·heb["ו-ימחו", "ו-נמחו", "יימחה", "יימחו", "ימח", "תימח", "תימחה", "תמחה"]·HI["और-मिटाएंगे", "और-मित-गये", "मिट-जाए", "मिटाए-जाएं", "मिटाया-जाए", "मिटाया-जाएगा", "मिटेगी"]·ID["Biarlah-mereka-dihapus", "akan-dihapuskan", "dan-dihapuskan", "dan-mereka-terhapus", "dihapus", "dihapuskan"]·IT["[ונמחו]", "[תמחה]", "cancello'", "dovere-essere-blotted-fuori", "dovra-essere-blotted-fuori", "e-essi-furono-wiped-fuori", "will-essere-wiped-via"]·jav["Mugi-dipunhapus", "dipun-busak", "dipun-busek", "dipunhapus", "dipunsirnaaken", "kebusak", "lan-dipun-sirnakaken", "lan-dipunbusak", "mugi-dipunhapus"]·KO["그리고-쓸어-버림-받았다", "그리고-지워지리라", "지워지게-하소서", "지워지다", "지워지지", "지워지지-말게-하소서", "지워지지-않을지니라"]·PT["Sejam-apagados", "e-foram-destruídos", "e-sejam-apagadas", "seja-apagado", "será-apagada", "será-apagado"]·RU["да-будут-изглажены", "и-истребились-они", "и-стёрты-были", "изгладится.", "исчезнет", "пусть-изгладится", "сотрётся"]·ES["Sean-borrados", "se-borrará", "sea-borrada", "sea-borrado", "será-borrado", "y-fueron-borrados", "y-sean-borradas"]·SW["Wafutwe", "fute", "futwe", "haitafutwa", "lifutwe", "litafutwa", "na-wakafutwa", "na-yafutwe"]·TR["silinecek", "silinmesin", "silinsin", "silinsinler", "ve-silindiler", "ve-silinmesinin"]·urd["اور-مٹ-گئے", "مٹائے-جائیں", "مٹایا-جائے", "مٹایا-جائے-گا", "مٹے", "مٹے-گی", "و-مٹ-جائیں"]
3. wipe, wipe away — The Qal active sense of physically wiping a surface clean or wiping away moisture — the concrete, tactile root meaning. In 2 Kings 21:13 God wipes Jerusalem 'as one wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down'; Proverbs 30:20 describes the adulteress who 'eats and wipes her mouth'; Isaiah 25:8 promises God 'will wipe away tears from all faces.' Spanish 'limpiándolo' (cleaning it) and 'enjugará' (will dry) distinguish this physical action from metaphorical erasure. 5×
AR["مَسْحًا", "وَ-مَسَحَتْ", "وَأَمْسَحُ", "وَيَمْسَحُ", "يَمْسَحُ"]·ben["এবং-মুছে-দেব", "এবং-মুছে-ফেলে", "ও-মুছে-দেবেন", "মুছে", "মুছে-দেন"]·DE["[ומחה]", "[ומחתה]", "eins-wipes", "und-ich-wird-wipe", "wiping"]·EN["and-I-will-wipe", "and-shall-wipe-away", "and-wipes", "one-wipes", "wiping"]·FR["[ומחה]", "et-effacer", "et-je-fera-wipe", "un-wipes", "wiping"]·heb["ו-מחה", "ו-מחיתי", "ו-מחתה", "ימחה", "מחה"]·HI["ऊ-मिटाऊँगा", "और-पोंछ-देगा", "और-पोंछती", "मिटाता-है", "मिटाया"]·ID["dan-Aku-akan-menyapu", "dan-menghapus", "dan-mengusap", "disapu", "menyapu"]·IT["[ומחה]", "e-e-wipes", "e-io-vorrà-wipe", "uno-wipes", "wiping"]·jav["Yérusalem", "lan-dipun-usapi", "lan-ngusap", "ngusap", "rai"]·KO["그리고-그녀가-닦다", "그리고-내가-닦으리라", "그리고-닦으시리니", "닦는다", "닦아서"]·PT["e-enxugou", "e-limparei", "e-limpou", "limpa-se", "limpar"]·RU["и-вытрет", "и-отрёт", "и-сотру", "стирают", "стирая"]·ES["limpiándolo", "se-limpia", "y-enjugará", "y-limpia", "y-limpiaré"]·SW["anafuta-mtu", "kuifuta", "na-atafuta", "na-hupangusa", "na-nitafuta"]·TR["silerek", "silinir", "ve-silecek", "ve-siler", "ve-silerim"]·urd["اور-مٹاؤں-گا", "اور-پونچھتی-ہے", "اور-پونچھے-گا", "مٹایا", "مٹایا-جاتا-ہے"]
4. destroy (causative) — The Hifil causative sense of bringing about destruction or obliteration — intensifying the basic meaning into active annihilation. Nehemiah 13:14 pleads 'do not wipe out my good deeds'; Proverbs 31:3 warns against giving strength 'to what destroys kings'; Jeremiah 18:23 asks God not to blot out their sin. The causative stem adds the dimension of deliberately causing erasure rather than simply performing it. 3×
AR["تَمْحُ", "لِ-مُهْلِكاتِ"]·ben["-ধ্বংসকারীদের-কাছে", "মুছে-ফেল", "মুছে-ফেলো"]·DE["[למחות]", "[תמח]", "[תמחי]"]·EN["blot-out", "to-what-destroys", "wipe-out"]·FR["[תמח]", "[תמחי]", "à-effacer"]·heb["ל-מחות", "תמח", "תמחי"]·HI["नाश-करने-वालियों-को", "मिटा"]·ID["hapus", "kepada-penghancur", "menghapus"]·IT["[תמח]", "[תמחי]", "per-a-che-cosa-destroys"]·jav["kanggé-ngrisak", "lan-dados", "ngilangaken"]·KO["멸하게-하는-자들에게", "지우소서", "지우지"]·PT["apagues", "apagues;", "às-destruidoras-de"]·RU["губительницам", "изгладь"]·ES["a-las-que-destruyen", "borres"]·SW["kwa-wanaoharibu", "ufute", "usifute"]·TR["sil", "silme", "yok-edenlere"]·urd["مٹا", "کو-مٹانے-والیوں"]
5. wipe out, destroy — The Qal active sense of annihilating or exterminating living beings from the earth, particularly in the context of divine judgment through the Flood. Genesis 7:23 records that God 'wiped out every living thing on the face of the ground,' and Numbers 5:23 describes the priest washing curses into the bitter water, which shall then 'wipe off' the written words. German 'vertilgt wurde' (was annihilated) captures the totality of this destructive erasure. 2×
AR["فَ-مَحَا", "وَ-يَمْحُوهَا"]·ben["এবং-মুছে-দিলেন", "এবং-মুছে-দেবে"]·DE["und-soll-auswischen-weg", "und-vertilgt-wurde"]·EN["and-shall-wipe-off", "and-wiped-out"]·FR["et-devra-wipe-off", "et-wiped-dehors"]·heb["ו-ימח", "ו-מחה"]·HI["और-मिटाए", "और-मिताया"]·ID["Dan-terhapuslah", "dan-akan-menghapus"]·IT["e-dovra-wipe-via", "e-wiped-fuori"]·jav["lan-nyirnakaken", "lan-piyambakipun-mbusek"]·KO["그리고-쓸어-버렸다", "그리고-지우리라"]·PT["E-destruiu", "e-apagará"]·RU["и-истребил", "и-смоет"]·ES["Y-borró", "y-borrará"]·SW["Na-akafuta", "Umhh"]·TR["Ve-sildi", "ve-silecek"]·urd["اور-دھوئے", "اور-مٹا-دیا"]
Related Senses
H0935 1. come, arrive (Qal) (2413×)G1473 1. first person singular pronoun (2084×)H3318 1. Qal: go out, depart, come forth (891×)H7725 1. to return, come/go back (Qal) (874×)H5927 1. go up, ascend (Qal) (779×)H3548 1. priest, cultic officiant (750×)H7971 1. to send, dispatch (Qal) (701×)G2064 1. come / arrive (physical movement toward) (588×)G5547 1. Christ, Messiah, Anointed One (540×)H5307 1. Qal: fall down physically (339×)H5375 1. Qal: to lift up, raise (330×)H5030 1. Prophet, divine spokesperson (317×)H5975 1. to stand, stand up (310×)H5930a 1. burnt offering (sacrifice) (286×)H3881 1. Levites (priestly class) (283×)H5674a 1. Qal: pass by, pass through (256×)H3381 1. Qal: to go down, descend (physical movement) (242×)G1831 1. go/come out physically (193×)H5337 1. deliver, rescue, save (Hifil) (188×)H7901 1. lie down, rest, sleep (183×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† I. מָחָה vb. wipe, wipe out (NH id.; Arabic مَحَا, efface, erase, cancel, obliterate; Aramaic מְחָא (i), cf. Ph. למחת according to stroke = exactly HoffmPh. Inschr., Abh. GGW. xxxvi. May 1889, 9).— Qal Pf. 3 ms. מָחָה Nu 5:23 + 3 times 3 fs. מָֽחֲתָה Pr 30:20 + 4 times Pf.; Impf. יִמְחֶה 2 K 21:13; וַיִּמַח (Baer; var. וַיִּמַּח) Gn 7:23; 1 s. sf. אֶמְחֶנּוּ Ex 32:33; + 4 times Impf.; Imv.…