מָצָא452 H4672
To find, discover, encounter; Niphal: be found, be present; Hifil: deliver, present; rarely: suffice, be enough.
One of the most common verbs in the Hebrew Bible, מָצָא covers the full arc from deliberate searching to unexpected encounter. In its Qal stem it ranges from finding a lost donkey (1 Sam 9:4) to finding favor in someone's eyes — a formulaic phrase (מָצָא חֵן) that appears over 40 times, rendered in Spanish as hallar gracia, in French as trouver grâce, and in German as Gnade finden. The Niphal passive yields a distinctive Chronicles formula for 'all who were found/present,' while the rare Hifil causative means to deliver or hand over. A surprising minor sense, 'to suffice' (Num 11:22), reflects the logic that what one finds is what one has available.
Senses
1. Qal: find, discover — The primary active meaning: to find, discover, or locate something sought, lost, or desired. This covers intentional searching (Gen 2:20, where no suitable helper 'was found' for Adam), accidental discovery, and the deeply idiomatic expression מָצָא חֵן בְּעֵינֵי ('to find favor in the eyes of'), which appears in Gen 6:8 of Noah. Multilingual glosses converge tightly here — Spanish hallar/encontrar, French trouver, German finden — confirming a stable, cross-linguistically basic sense. 289×
AR["أَنَّهُ-وَجَدَ", "فَ-وَجَدَ", "فَوَجَدَ", "وَ-وَجَدَ", "وَ-وَجَدَهُ", "وَجَدتُ", "وَجَدْتُ", "وَوَجَدَ"]·ben["আর-পেল", "আর-পেলেন", "এবং-খুঁজে-পেল", "এবং-খুঁজে-পেলেন", "এবং-পেল", "এবং-পেলেন", "এবং-সে-পেল", "ও-সে-খুঁজে-পেল", "পেয়েছি"]·DE["ich-gefunden-habe", "ich-haben-fand", "und-er-fand", "und-er-findet", "und-fand", "und-finden"]·EN["I-have-found", "and-found", "and-he-found", "the-king"]·FR["Je-avoir-trouva", "et-il-trouva", "et-trouva", "et-trouver"]·heb["ו-ימצא", "ו-מצא", "מצא", "מצאתי"]·HI["और-पाया", "पाया-है-मैंने", "मैने-पय", "वय्यिम्चा"]·ID["Dan-ia-menemukan", "Dan-menemukan", "aku-mendapat", "aku-menemukan", "dan mendapat", "dan menjumpai", "dan-dia-bertemu", "dan-dia-mendapati", "dan-dia-menemukan", "dan-ia-menemukan", "dan-mendapat", "dan-menemukan"]·IT["e-egli-trovò", "e-trovare", "e-trovera", "e-trovò", "io-avere-trovò"]·jav["Lan-manggih", "Lan-manggihaken", "Lan-piyambakipun-manggih", "kula-manggihaken", "kula-sampun-manggihaken", "lan-angsal", "lan-manggih", "lan-manggihaken", "lan-piyambakipun-manggih", "lan-piyambakipun-manggihi", "raja"]·KO["그가-발견했다", "그래서-그가-만났다", "그리고-거두었다", "그리고-그가-발견했다", "그리고-만났다", "그리고-발견했다", "그리고-찾았다", "그리고-찾았으니라", "내가-찾았다", "내가-찾았다면"]·PT["E-achou", "E-encontrou", "achei", "e-encontrou", "¶ E-encontrou"]·RU["И-нашёл", "и-встретил", "и-нашёл", "нашёл-я"]·ES["Y-encontró", "Y-halló", "he-hallado", "y-encontro", "y-encontró", "y-halló", "y-lo-encontró"]·SW["na-akakuta", "na-akamkuta", "na-akampata", "na-akaona", "na-akapata", "na-akaukuta", "na-akawakuta", "na-mfalme-akagundua", "nimepata"]·TR["Ve-buldu", "buldum", "ve-buldu"]·urd["اور-ملا", "اور-پایا", "مجھے-ملا-ہے", "میں-نے-پایا-ہے", "پایا-ہے-میں-نے"]
2. Niphal: be found, be discovered — The Niphal passive: to be found, be discovered, be present, or exist. This is not merely the passive of sense 1 but often carries an existential nuance — 'no leaven shall be found in your houses' (Exod 12:19). Spanish fue hallado and French être trouvé preserve the passive construction, while Arabic وُجِدَ shares both the 'be found' and 'exist' readings, suggesting this polysemy is typologically natural. 99×
AR["وُجِدَ", "وُجِدَت", "يوجَدُ", "يُوجَد", "يُوجَدُ"]·ben["পাওয়া-গেছে", "পাওয়া-যাবে", "পাওয়া-যায়"]·DE["er-findet", "fand", "finden", "ist-fand", "soll-sein-fand", "wird-sein-fand"]·EN["I-will-bring", "is-found", "shall-be-found", "was-found", "will-be-found"]·FR["--être-trouva", "devra-être-trouva", "est-trouva", "fera-être-trouva", "trouver"]·heb["יימצא", "ימצא", "מצא", "נמצא", "תימצא"]·HI["पाई-जाएगी", "पाया-जाए", "पाया-जाएगा", "मिली", "मिले", "मिलेगा", "मिलेगी", "वह-मिलेगा"]·ID["-ditemukan", "akan-cukup", "akan-ditemukan", "boleh-ditemukan", "ditemukan"]·IT["dovra-essere-trovo", "e-trovato", "shall-essere-trovò", "trovare", "trovera", "vorrà-essere-trovò", "è-trovò"]·jav["badhe-kapanggih", "badhé-kapanggih", "bakal-kapanggih", "dipun-panggih", "dipun-panggihaken", "dipunanggep", "dipunpanggih", "kapanggih", "kapanggèh", "piyambakipun-dipun-panggih"]·KO["발견되는", "발견되리라", "발견되면", "발견되었다", "발견되지", "발견되지-않는", "찾아지리라", "찾아지지"]·PT["foi-achado", "for-achado", "for-encontrado", "se-achar", "será-achada", "será-achado", "será-encontrado"]·RU["будет-найден", "найдена", "найдётся", "окажется"]·ES["es-hallado", "fue-hallado", "se-encuentre", "se-halla", "se-hallare", "se-hallará", "sea-hallado"]·SW["atapatikana", "itapatikana", "kutapatikana", "litapatikana", "nimtsa", "patikana", "patikane", "utapatikana", "vitapatikana"]·TR["bulunacak", "bulunan", "bulundu", "bulunur", "bulunursa", "yeryüzünde-"]·urd["ملے-گا", "ملے-گی", "پائی-جائے-گی", "پائی-گئی", "پایا-جائے"]
Gen 44:16, Gen 44:17, Exod 9:19, Exod 12:19, Exod 22:2, Exod 22:4, Exod 22:7, Exod 22:8, Exod 35:23, Exod 35:24, Deut 17:2, Deut 18:10 (+38 more)
3. Niphal participle: those present — The Niphal participle used substantivally, especially with the article (הַנִּמְצְאִים), to mean 'those who were present/found.' This formulaic usage dominates in Chronicles (e.g., 2 Chr 34:32) for assembled people, functioning almost as a census term. The distinctiveness shows in how translations handle it: English 'those present,' Spanish los que se hallaban, French ceux qui se trouvaient — all employing periphrastic constructions rather than a simple passive. 42×
AR["المَوْجُودَةِ", "الْ-مَوْجُودِ", "الْمَوْجُودَ", "الْمَوْجُودَةَ", "الْمَوْجُودَةِ", "الْمَوْجُودُونَ", "الْمَوْجُودِ", "الْمَوْجُودِينَ", "ٱلْمَوْجُودَةَ", "ٱلْمَوْجُودِ"]·ben["-উপস্থিত", "-উপস্থিতদের", "-উপস্থিতরা", "-পাওয়া", "-যা-পাওয়া-গেল", "পাওয়া", "যা-পাওয়া-গিয়েছিল", "যা-পাওয়া-গেল", "যাঁরা-উপস্থিত-ছিলেন", "যারা-উপস্থিত-ছিল", "যারা-পাওয়া-গেল"]·DE["der-fand", "finden"]·EN["the-found", "the-ones-found"]·FR["le-trouva", "trouver"]·heb["ה-מצא", "ה-נמצא", "ה-נמצאה"]·HI["जो-पाए-गए", "पाई-गई", "पाए-जानेवाले", "पाए-हुए", "पाया-गया", "मिली-हुई", "मिले-हुए", "ह-पाई-गई", "ह-पाए-गए", "ह-पाया-गया", "हन्निम्त्सा"]·ID["-yang-ditemukan", "yang-ditemukan", "yang-hadir"]·IT["il-trovò", "trovare"]·jav["ingkang-dipun-panggih", "ingkang-dipun-panggihi", "ingkang-kapanggih", "ingkang-kapanggèh", "ingkang-wonten"]·KO["그-발견된", "그-발견된-자", "그-발견된-자들이", "그-발견된-자를", "발견된", "발견된-것"]·PT["a-encontrada", "o-encontrado", "os-encontrados", "os-presentes", "os-que-encontravam-se", "que-foi-achada"]·RU["а-найденное", "найденного", "найденное", "найденной", "найденные", "находившееся", "находившийся", "находившихся", "находящегося", "находящиеся", "находящийся", "находящихся"]·ES["el-encontrado", "el-hallado", "el-que-se-encuentra", "la-encontrada", "la-hallada", "la-que-se-halló", "lo-encontrado", "los-hallados", "que-se-hallaron", "que-se-halló"]·SW["haniּmtsa", "haniּmtsiym", "iliyopatikana", "kilichopatikana", "vilivyopatikana", "waliokuwepo", "waliopatikana"]·TR["-bulunan", "bulunan", "bulunan-", "bulunan-o", "bulunana", "bulunanlar"]·urd["جو-باقی-ہے", "جو-ملا", "جو-ملی", "جو-ملے", "جو-موجود-تھے", "جو-پائی-گئی-تھی", "جو-پائے-جاتے-تھے", "پائی-گئی", "پائے-جانے-والے", "پایا-جاتا", "پایا-جانے-والا", "پایا-گیا"]
Gen 19:15, Gen 47:14, Deut 20:11, Judg 20:48, Judg 20:48, 1 Sam 13:15, 1 Sam 13:16, 1 Sam 21:4, 2 Kgs 12:10, 2 Kgs 12:18, 2 Kgs 14:14, 2 Kgs 16:8 (+30 more)
4. Qal: reach, come upon, overtake — To come upon, befall, reach, or overtake — used when calamity, trouble, or events 'find' a person without active searching (Deut 4:30; Num 32:23 'your sin will find you out'). German treffen captures the overtaking nuance, while Spanish alcanzar reflects the 'reach' dimension. This sense reveals מָצָא as a verb of encounter from the object's perspective, where the subject (often abstract: evil, distress) is the active agent. 17×
AR["أَصابَتْنا", "أَصابَهُ", "أَصَابَتْنَا", "أَصَابَتْنِي", "أَصَابَتْهُمْ", "تَجِدُكُمْ", "تُصِيبُهُ", "صَادَفْتَ", "فَيُصيبُنا", "مُجْديَةٌ", "وَ-يَلْقَاكَ", "وَإِذَا-أَصَابَتْكَ", "وَتُصِيبُهُ", "وَيُصِيبُ", "يُصِيبُ"]·ben["আমাদের-কাছে-এসেছে", "আর-তোমাকে-দেখা-পাবে", "আসবে", "এবং-আমাদের-মিলবে", "এবং-খুঁজে-পাবে-তোমাকে", "এবং-পাবে-তাকে", "এবং-লাগে", "ঘটবে", "ঘটেছে-আমাদের", "পাও", "পাওয়া-যায়", "পাবে", "পেয়েছি-আমাদের", "পেয়েছিল-তাদের", "পেয়েছে-আমাকে", "পেয়েছে-তাকে"]·DE["du-meet", "fand", "fand-ihnen", "fand-mich", "fand-uns", "finden-ihn", "hat-fand-uns", "reaching", "trifft", "und-finden-du", "und-finds", "und-wird-finde-du", "und-wird-finde-uns", "und-wird-finden-ihn", "wird-finden"]·EN["and-find-you", "and-finds", "and-will-find-him", "and-will-find-us", "and-will-find-you", "find-him", "found-him", "found-me", "found-them", "found-us", "has-found-us", "reaching", "will-find", "you-meet"]·FR["--trouver", "a-trouva-nous", "atteignant", "et-fera-trouve-nous", "et-fera-trouve-tu", "et-fera-trouver-lui", "et-trouve", "et-trouver-tu", "fera-trouver", "trouva-eux", "trouva-moi", "trouva-nous", "trouver", "trouver-lui", "tu-rencontre"]·heb["ו-מצא", "ו-מצאוהו", "ו-מצאוך", "ו-מצאנו", "וּ-מְצָאוּךָ", "מוצאת", "מצא", "מצא-נו", "מצאו", "מצאוני", "מצאתם", "מצאתנו", "תמצא", "תמצאן"]·HI["आ-पड़ेगी", "आई-है-हम-पर", "आएगी", "उमचाआनू", "और-पहुंचेंगी", "और-पाएंगी-उसे", "और-मिलेंगे-तुझे", "और-लगेगा", "पहुँची-हमें", "पाई-थी-उन्हें", "पाईं-मुझे", "पाएंगी", "पाएगा", "पाया-उसे", "मिलने-वाला", "मिले", "हमें-पाया"]·ID["akan-menimpa", "dan-akan-bertemu-denganmu", "dan-akan-menimpa-kita", "dan-menemukan-dia", "dan-menemukan-mu", "dan-mengenai", "engkau-bertemu", "mendapatnya", "menemukan", "menemukan-aku", "menimpa", "menimpa-kami", "menimpa-mereka"]·IT["e-fara-trovare-lui", "e-finds", "e-trovare-tu", "e-vorrà-trova-noi", "e-vorrà-trova-tu", "fara-trovare", "ha-trovò-noi", "raggiungendo", "trovare", "trovare-lui", "trovare-suo", "trovo-me", "trovo-noi", "trovò-loro", "tu-incontrare", "will-trovare"]·jav["badhé-manggihaken", "badhé-tumrap", "dipun-panggihaken", "kepanggih", "lan-ketingal", "lan-kita-ketemu", "lan-nemahi-piyambakipun", "lan-nemu-panjenengan", "lan-pinanggih-panjenengan", "nemahi-kawula", "nemahi-piyambakipun", "nemahi-piyambakipun-sedaya", "nemoni-piyambak-ipun", "nempuh-kawula", "ngenani-kula-sadaya", "ngengingi", "nrap"]·KO["그리고-닥치리라-너-에게", "그리고-만나리라", "그리고-만났다", "그리고-찾아올-것이다", "그리고-찾을-것이다-너를", "다가왔기에", "닥쳤는가-우리에게", "만나리라", "만나면-당신-이", "만났다", "만났던", "맞는", "우리를-찾았다", "우리에게-임한", "찾을", "찾을-것이라"]·PT["achando", "alcançará", "e-atinge", "e-encontrar-nos-á", "e-encontrar-te-ão", "e-o-encontrarão", "encontrares", "encontrará", "encontrou-o", "me-encontraram", "nos-encontrou", "o-encontrarem", "os-encontrou", "vos-encontrará"]·RU["-встретишь", "и-встретят-тебя", "и-попадёт", "и-постигнет-нас", "и-постигнут-его", "и-постигнут-тебя", "найдёт", "нашла-их", "постигало-его", "постигла-нас", "постигли-меня", "постигло-нас", "постигнет", "постигнут", "приносящего"]·ES["encontrada", "encontrares", "hallará", "le-sobrevengan", "les-encontró", "lo-halló", "me-han-hallado", "nos-alcanzó", "nos-encontró", "os-alcanzará", "y-encuentre", "y-lo-hallarán", "y-nos-encontrará", "y-te-alcanzarán", "y-te-encontrarán"]·SW["-", "ilimpata", "ilitufikia", "iliwapata", "imetupata", "itawapata", "mtu", "na-tutapatikana", "na-ukampata", "na-utakutana-na", "na-yatamkuta", "ubaya", "utakaopata", "yamenipata", "yametupata", "yatakapokujia", "yatakapomkuta"]·TR["bulacak", "buldu-beni", "buldu-bizi", "buldu-onu", "buldular-onları", "bulunan", "bulunca", "bulursan", "ve-bulacak-onu", "ve-bulunacak-bize", "ve-bulunca-seni", "ve-bulursa", "ve-karşılaşacaksın"]·urd["آئی-تھی-اُن-پر", "آئی-ہم-پر", "اور-لگے", "اور-ملیں-گے-تجھے", "اور-پائیں-اُسے", "اور-پائیں-گے-تجھے", "تو-پائیں-گے", "تُو-ملے", "ملنے-والی", "پائیں", "پائیں-مجھے", "پایا اسے", "پکڑے-گا", "پہنچی-ہمیں", "پہنچے-گی", "پہنچےگی"]
Gen 44:34, Exod 18:8, Num 20:14, Num 32:23, Deut 4:30, Deut 19:5, Deut 31:17, Deut 31:17, Deut 31:21, Judg 6:13, 1 Sam 10:3, 2 Sam 18:22 (+5 more)
5. Hifil: deliver, hand over, present — The Hifil causative: to cause to find, to deliver, hand over, or present. Rare (7 occurrences), concentrated in Levitical ritual passages (Lev 9:12-18) where Aaron's sons 'presented' blood to him, and in 2 Sam 3:8 meaning 'deliver.' The causative logic is clear: making something arrive at or reach its recipient. 7×
AR["أُسَلِّمْكَ", "أُسْلِمُ", "نَاوَلُوا", "وَ-نَاوَلُوا", "يُصيبُهُ", "يُصِيبُهُ"]·ben["এবং-তারা-হাজির-করল", "খুঁজে-পান-তাকে", "তারা-হাজির-করল", "তিনি-তা-আসতে-দেন", "তোমাকে-সমর্পণ-করেছি", "সমর্পণ-করছি"]·DE["fand", "ich-befreite-du", "sie-brachte", "und-brachte"]·EN["He-causes-him-to-find", "I-delivered-you", "[obj]", "and-brought", "he-causes-it-to-find", "they-brought"]·FR["et-apporta", "ils-apporta", "je-délivra-tu", "trouver", "trouver-lui"]·heb["המציתי-ך", "ו-מצא", "ימציאהו", "ימציאנו", "ממציא", "מצא"]·HI["और-दिए", "दिए", "दिया-तुझे-मैंने", "पहुंचाता-है-उसे", "मैं-पहुँचाता-हूँ"]·ID["Ia mendatangkannya", "dan-memberikan", "ke-tangan", "menyerahkan", "mereka-memberikan"]·IT["e-porto", "essi-porto", "io-liberò-tu", "trovare", "trovare-suo"]·jav["Panjenengan-ipun-ndamel-manggihaken", "kula-masrahaken-panjenengan", "lan-sami-nyaosaken", "masrahaken", "sami-nyaosaken"]·KO["건네주었다", "그가-담당하게-하신다-그것을", "그가-찾으신다-그를", "그리고-건네주었다", "내주리라", "넘겨주었거늘-너를"]·PT["apresentaram", "e-apresentaram", "entreguei-te", "fará-encontrá-lo", "fazendo-entregar", "o-faz-encontrar."]·RU["даёт-найти-ему", "и-подали", "подали", "посылает-его", "предал-тебя", "предающий"]·ES["hago-encontrar", "le-entregaron", "le-hará-hallar", "lo-hace-encontrar", "te-entregué", "y-entregaron"]·SW["anasababisha", "atampatia", "kukutoa", "na-wakaleta", "ninawakabidhi", "walileta"]·TR["buldurur-onu", "teslim-edeceğim", "teslim-ettim-seni", "ve-verdiler", "verdiler"]·urd["اور-لائے", "لائے", "میں-نے-تجھے-دیا", "وہ اسے لاتا ہے", "وہ اسے پاتا ہے", "گرفتار-کروں-گا"]
6. Qal: suffice, be enough — A rare sense meaning 'to suffice, be enough' — attested principally in Num 11:22, where Moses asks whether enough flocks and herds can be 'found' (i.e., suffice) for the people. The semantic path from 'find' to 'suffice' runs through availability: what can be found is what is at hand, and hence what is enough. Only 3 clear occurrences, but the sense is lexicographically significant. 3×
AR["وَ-يَكْفِيهِمْ", "يَكْفينا"]·ben["এবং-যথেষ্ট-হবে", "যথেষ্ট-হবে"]·DE["ist-fand", "und-suffice"]·EN["and-suffice", "is-found"]·FR["est-trouva", "et-suffice"]·heb["ו-מצא", "ימצא"]·HI["और-पूरा-होगा", "मिलेगा"]·ID["cukup", "dan-cukup"]·IT["e-suffice", "è-trovò"]·jav["cekap", "lan-cekap"]·KO["그리고-찾을-것인가", "충분하다"]·PT["e-bastará", "será-achada"]·RU["достаточна", "и-хватит"]·ES["se-encuentra", "y-será-suficiente"]·SW["na-itawatosha", "tosha"]·TR["bulunur", "ve-yetecek"]·urd["اور-ملے", "ملے-گا"]
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×)H3045 1. Qal: to know, perceive, understand (829×)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×)H5315 1. soul, inner being (647×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
מָצָא452 vb. attain to, find (NH id.; Assyrian maṣû, DlHWB421, Ethiopic መጽአ come, arrive; Aramaic [ܡܨܳܐ find], Pt. pass. ܡܨܶܐ able, powerful, and deriv.; cf. NöZMG xl. 1886, 736 Dr 1 S 23:17);— Qal Pf. מ׳ Gn 2:20 +, sf. מְצָאוֹ Jb 31:29, 3 fs. מָֽצְאָה Gn 8:9 +, sf. מְצָאַתְנוּ Ju 6:13 Ne 9:32, מְצָאָ֫תַם Ex 18:18; 2 ms. מָצָאתָ Gn 31:37 +; i s. מָצָאתִי Gn 18:3 +, מָצָתִי Nu 11:11, sf. מְצָאתִיו…