H4695 H4695
contention, strife (context of those who oppose or strive against someone)
This noun denotes contention or strife, referring specifically to adversarial engagement. In Isaiah 41:12, God promises that Israel's enemies—those who strove in contention with them—will vanish. The term appears in parallel with 'men of war', reinforcing its martial and confrontational sense. BDB suggests the root relates to disputation, and the multilingual glosses consistently emphasize conflict or opposition.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Contentious opposition or striving against someone, particularly in a hostile or adversarial context. Isaiah 41:12 parallels 'men of your contention' with 'men of your war', suggesting active antagonism rather than mere disagreement. The Spanish 'conflicto' and English 'contention' capture the combative dimension of this rare noun. 1×
AR["نِزَاعِكَ"]·ben["তোমার-দ্বন্দ্বের"]·DE["[מצתך]"]·EN["of-your-contention"]·FR["[מצתך]"]·heb["מצותך"]·HI["लड़ाई-के-तेरे"]·ID["perselisihanmu"]·IT["[מצתך]"]·jav["ingkang-nglawan-panjenengan"]·KO["너와-싸우는"]·PT["luta-tua"]·RU["ссоры-твоей"]·ES["de-tu-conflicto"]·SW["wa-ugomvi-wako"]·TR["cekismesinin"]·urd["تیرے-جھگڑنے-والے"]
Related Senses
H0559 1. say, speak, tell (5297×)G3004 1. say, tell, speak (2226×)H1696 1. speak, say, tell (Piel) (1105×)H7121 1. call, summon, name (575×)H6680 1. command, order, charge (483×)H6030b 1. answer, respond, reply (289×)G2980 1. speak, talk (277×)H5046 1. Hifil: to tell, report (237×)G0611 1. answer or respond verbally (232×)H1288 1. Piel: bless, invoke blessing (227×)H7650 1. swear, take an oath (Niphal) (154×)H3789 1. Qal passive participle: written, recorded (112×)H1984b 1. praise, laud (Piel) (111×)H7592 1. ask, inquire, question (96×)H3034 1. give thanks, praise (Hifil) (94×)G1321 1. teach, instruct actively (92×)H3789 2. Qal active: write, compose (89×)G1125 1. to write, compose (a letter or document) (84×)H5046 2. Hifil: to declare, proclaim (79×)H7892a 1. song, musical composition (78×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [מַצּוּת] n.f. id.;—only sf. אַנְשֵׁ׳ מַ��ֻּתֶ֑ךָ Is 41:12 i.e. the men who strove with thee (‖ אַנְשֵׁ׳ מִלְחַמְתֶּ֑ךָ).