H4242 H4242
Price, cost — the payment or value offered for goods, land, or figuratively for intangible things like wisdom or people
Derived from a root meaning 'to set before, present,' this noun (מְחִיר) denotes the price placed on something offered for exchange. It appears in straightforward commercial transactions — David purchases the threshing floor 'for a price' (2 Sam 24:24), and Solomon's horses are bought at a set cost (1 Kgs 10:28). Yet the word's most memorable uses are theological. Job 28:15 declares that wisdom's price cannot be paid in silver; Isaiah 55:1 invites the thirsty to buy 'without price'; and Psalm 44:13 laments that God sold his people 'for no price,' implying they were given away as worthless. The tension between commercial and covenantal value gives this common noun uncommon depth.
Senses
1. price, cost — The monetary price, cost, or payment offered in exchange for something — land, goods, animals, or services. Used concretely for purchasing David's threshing floor (2 Sam 24:24), Solomon's horse trade (1 Kgs 10:28; 2 Chr 1:16), and Naboth's vineyard offer (1 Kgs 21:2). Extended figuratively to the incalculable 'price' of wisdom (Job 28:15; Prov 17:16), the costless grace of divine blessing (Isa 55:1, 'without money and without price'), and the devaluation of God's people sold 'for nothing' (Ps 44:13). Lamentations 5:4 uses it for the bitter cost of water in siege conditions. 15×
AR["بِ-أَثْمانِهِم", "بِ-ثَمَنٍ", "بِثَمَنٍ", "بِـ-ثَمَنٍ", "ثَمَنٌ", "ثَمَنٍ", "ثَمَنَ", "ثَمَنَها", "وَ-ثَمَنُ", "وَثَمَنَ"]·ben["-দামে", "-মূল্যে", "-মূল্যের-জন্য", "এবং-মূল্য", "তার-মূল্য", "দ্বারা-মূল্য-তাদের", "মূল্য", "মূল্যে", "মূল্যে-"]·DE["[במחיר]", "[ומחיר]", "[מחיר]", "[מחירה]", "bei-ihr-price", "bei-price", "fuer-price", "price-von", "und-Preis-von"]·EN["and-price-of", "at-a-price", "at-price", "by-their-price", "for-a-price", "for-price", "its-price", "price", "price-of"]·FR["[במחיר]", "[מחיר]", "dans-prix", "et-prix-de", "et-ומחיר", "pour-price", "price-de", "prix", "sa-מחירה-elle", "à-price", "מחיר"]·heb["ב-מחיר", "ב-מחירי-הם", "בִּ-מְחִיר", "ו-מחיר", "מחיר", "מחירה"]·HI["उसका-दाम", "और-दाम", "कीमत-में", "दाम", "दाम-पर", "दाम-में", "दाम-से", "मूल्य-पर", "मूल्य-से", "में-दाम", "में-दाम-उनके"]·ID["dan-harga", "dengan-bayaran", "dengan-harga", "harga", "harganya", "sebagai-harga"]·IT["[במחיר]", "[במחיריהם]", "[מחיר]", "a-prezzo", "e-prezzo", "e-prezzo-di", "per-prezzo", "prezzo", "prezzo-di", "prezzo-sua"]·jav["arta", "ing-pangreganing-tiyang-punika", "kalayan-opah", "kaliyan-rega", "kanggé-réga", "kanthi-rega", "kanthi-règa", "lan-rega-saking", "mawi-régi", "minangka-règen", "reginipun", "regèn-ipun", "régi", "srana-aji", "utawi-rega"]·KO["-에-값으로", "값", "값-으로", "값-의", "값으로", "값이", "그들-의-값들-에서", "그리고-값은", "그리고-값을", "그의-값으로", "에-값", "에-값-으로", "에-값으로"]·PT["com-seus-preços", "como-seu-preço.", "e-preço-de", "por-preço", "por-preço;", "preço", "preço-de"]·RU["за-плату", "за-цену", "и-цена", "и-цену", "цена", "цена-её", "ценой-их", "цену", "цены"]·ES["en-su-precio", "por-precio", "precio", "precio-de", "su-precio", "y-precio-de"]·SW["bei", "bei-ya", "bei-yake", "kwa-bei", "kwa-bei-yao", "na-bei", "na-bei-ya"]·TR["bedel", "bedeli-olarak", "bedelle", "bi-fiyata", "değerini", "değerle-", "fiyatla", "fiyatlarında", "fiyatına", "ve-fiyatını", "ve-ücreti", "ücret", "ücretle"]·urd["اور-قیمت", "اُجرت-سے", "اُن-کی-قیمت-سے", "قیمت", "قیمت-اُس-کی", "قیمت-سے", "قیمت-پر", "قیمت-کے", "میں-قیمت"]
Deut 23:18, 2 Sam 24:24, 1 Kgs 10:28, 1 Kgs 21:2, 2 Chr 1:16, Job 28:15, Ps 44:12, Prov 17:16, Prov 27:26, Isa 45:13, Isa 55:1, Jer 15:13 (+3 more)
Related Senses
G2962 1. Lord (divine title) (661×)H0136 1. Lord (divine title) (440×)H0113 1. lord, human superior (249×)G1849 1. authority, power (91×)H6485a 2. Qal: punish, bring judgment (63×)H8198 1. maidservant, female slave (63×)G2962 2. master, lord (human authority) (61×)H0034 1. needy, poor, destitute (61×)H0519 1. female servant, maidservant (56×)H6041 1. poor, needy person (55×)H0113 2. master, owner of servants (49×)H4910 1. Qal: to have dominion, exercise power over (44×)H1800 1. poor, needy (socioeconomic) (38×)H3515 1. heavy, severe, grievous (36×)G4434 1. (34×)G5092 1. honor, esteem, respect (33×)H6485a 4. Qal: visit, attend to, care for (32×)H3513 1. honor / show respect (Piel) (30×)H4910 2. Qal: to rule, govern (administrative authority) (27×)H4513 1. withhold, restrain, hold back (25×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† I. מְחִיר n.m. price, hire (as that which is placed in front of one, presented, offered; Assyrian maḫîru, price; maḫirânu, buyer, DlHWB 404, Prol. 94);—מ׳ abs. Mi 3:11 + 9 times; cstr. Dt 23:19 + 2 times; sf. מְחִירָהּ Jb 28:15; pl. sf. מְחִירֵיהֶם ψ 44:13;— 1. price, often בִּמְחִיר for a price; in trade 2 S 24:24 1 K 10:28 2 Ch 1:16; cf. La 5:4 (‖ כֶּסֶף), also (no בְּ) 1 K 21:2 and מ׳ שָׂדֶה…