H4315 H4315
The best of, the choicest portion; a superlative construct noun for the finest quality of a field, flock, or land.
A masculine noun used exclusively in the construct state to express a superlative: 'the best of' something. It appears in two narrative contexts. In the Joseph story, Pharaoh grants Jacob's family 'the best of the land' of Egypt (Gen 47:6, 11). In the law of restitution, a person who allows livestock to graze in another's field must repay from 'the best of his own field and the best of his vineyard' (Exod 22:4). Samuel rebukes Saul for sparing 'the best of the sheep and cattle' (1 Sam 15:9, 15). Spanish lo mejor de and English best of consistently convey the superlative sense.
Senses
1. best of — The choicest, finest portion of something -- always in construct ('the best of X'), functioning as a superlative. In the Covenant Code, restitution must come from 'the best of his field and the best of his vineyard' (Exod 22:4), establishing a legal standard of highest-quality compensation. Pharaoh offers Joseph's family 'the best of the land' of Egypt (Gen 47:6, 11), signaling royal generosity. Samuel's rebuke of Saul concerns sparing 'the best of the sheep' that should have been devoted to destruction (1 Sam 15:9, 15). The Spanish lo mejor de and English best of uniformly confirm the superlative meaning, while French and German glosses (best de, im Besten) likewise reflect the construct-state pattern. 6×
AR["أَفضَلَ", "أَفْضَلِ", "فِي-أَفْضَلِ", "وَ-أَفضَلَ"]·ben["উত্তম", "এবং-সেরা", "সেরা", "স্থানে-উত্তম"]·DE["best-von", "im-Besten", "und-best-von"]·EN["and-best-of", "best-of", "in-best-of"]·FR["best-de", "dans-best-de", "et-best-de"]·heb["ב-מיטב", "ו-מיטב", "מיטב"]·HI["उतक्रिशत", "उत्तम", "उत्तम-में", "और-उत्तम"]·ID["dan-yang terbaik", "di-yang-terbaik", "yang terbaik", "yang-terbaik"]·IT["best-di", "e-best-di", "in-best-di", "migliore-di"]·jav["ingkang-paling-sae", "lan-ingkang-paling-sae", "wonten-ingkang-paling-sae"]·KO["가장-좋은-것을", "그리고-가장-좋은-것을", "에-가장-좋은", "최상의것"]·PT["e-o-melhor-de", "em-melhor-de", "o-melhor-de"]·RU["в-лучшем", "и-лучшим", "лучшее", "лучшим"]·ES["en-lo-mejor-de", "lo-mejor-de", "y-lo-mejor-de"]·SW["bora", "katika-sehemu-nzuri", "na-bora"]·TR["en-iyisinde", "en-iyisinden", "en-iyisine", "ve-en-iyisinden"]·urd["اور-بہترین", "بہترین", "بہترین-میں"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† (מֵיטָב) n.[m.] the best, only cstr. מֵיטַב and as superl.; the best of a thing: מ׳ שָׂדֵהוּ וּמ׳ כַּרְמוֹ Ex 22:4 (JE) the best of his field and the best of his vineyard (choicest fruit); מ׳ הַצֹּאן the best of the sheep 1 S 15:9, 15; בְּמ׳ הָאָרֶץ in the best of the land Gn 47:6, 11 (P).