מָצָא 452 verb attain to, find (Late Hebrew 
id.; Assyrian 
maṣû, Dl
HWB 421, Ethiopic 
 come, arrive
 come, arrive; Aramaic [
 find
 find], Passive participle 
 able, powerful
 able, powerful, and derivatives; compare Nö
ZMG xl 1886, 736 Dr
1 Samuel 23:17); — 
Qal Perfect מ׳ Genesis 2:20 +, suffix 
מְצָאוֺ Job 31:29, 
3rd person feminine singular מָֽצְאָה Genesis 8:9 +, suffix 
מְצָאַתְנוּ Judges 6:13; 
Nehemiah 9:32, 
מְצָאָ֫תַם Exodus 18:18; 
2nd person masculine singular מָצָאתָ Genesis 31:37 +; 
1st person singular מָצָאתִי Genesis 18:3 +, 
מָצָתִי Numbers 11:11, suffix 
מְצָאתִיו Songs 3:1, 
2, 
מְצָאתִיהוּ Songs 5:6; 
3rd person plural מָֽצְאוּ Judges 21:14 +; suffix 
מְצָאנֻהוּ Job 37:23, etc.; 
Imperfect יִמְצָא 1 Samuel 24:20 +, 
3rd person feminine singular תִּמְצָא 1 Samuel 1:18 +; 
3rd person masculine plural יִמְצְאוּ Judges 5:30 +, suffix 
יִמְצָאֻהוּ Job 20:8 יִמְצָאֻנְנִי Proverbs 1:28; 
Proverbs 8:17, 
יִמְצָאוּנְהָ Jeremiah 2:24; 
3rd person feminine plural תִּמְצֶאןָ Deuteronomy 31:21 etc.; 
Imperative מְצָא 1 Samuel 20:21, 
36, 
וּמְצָאֿ Proverbs 3:4; masculine plural 
מִצְאוּ Jeremiah 6:16; feminine plural 
וּמְצֶאןָ Ruth 1:9; 
Infinitive מְצאֹ, 
מְצוֺא Psalm 32:6; 
Genesis 19:11 +, suffix 
בְּמֹצַאֲכֶם Genesis 32:20 [= 
מָצְאֲכֶם Ges
§ 74, 3, R. 2]; 
Participle מוֺצֵא Psalm 119:162, 
מוֺצֶה Ecclesiastes 7:26, suffix 
מֹצְאִי Genesis 4:14; 
Proverbs 8:35; feminine singular absolute 
מֹצֵאת 2 Samuel 18:22, 
מוֺצֵאת Songs 8:10; masculine plural 
מֹצְאִים Numbers 15:33, construct 
מֹצְאֵי Proverbs 8:9; feminine plural absolute 
מֹצְאוֺת Joshua 2:23, etc.; — 
    1. find:
    a. thing sought, with accusative of thing, straw 
Exodus 5:11 (J), water 
Genesis 26:32 (J), compare 
Genesis 26:19, 
Exodus 15:22 (J), grass 
1 Kings 18:5, help, consort, 
Genesis 2:20 (J), compare 
Proverbs 18:22 +; with idea of attaining to, arriving at, a resting-place 
Genesis 8:9 (J) 
Isaiah 34:14 compare 
בַּיִת מָֽצְאָה צִפּוֹר Psalm 84:4; 
Jeremiah 45:3; 
Lamentations 1:3; of marriage 
Ruth 1:9; of finding place for temple 
Psalm 132:5; figurative 
וּמִצְאוּ מַרְגּוֺעַ לְנַפְשְׁכֶם Jeremiah 6:16 and find quiet for yourselves; find grave 
Job 3:22; reach cities 
2 Samuel 20:6 (where read 
יִמְצָא Vrss Th Dr Kit Bu), compare 
Psalm 107:4; 
find = secure prey, booty, plunder 
Genesis 27:20 (J), 
Judges 5:30; 
Judges 21:12; 
1 Samuel 14:30 compare 
2 Chronicles 20:25; 
Proverbs 1:13; 
Psalm 119:162; of securing gain 
Hosea 12:9 (+ 
לִי; || 
עשׁר), 
Job 31:25; so perhaps also absolute 
בְּשׂוֺרָה מֹצֵאת אֵין 2 Samuel 18:22 there is no news securing i.e. such as to bring you a reward (compare Th Dr; but text dubious); secure as crop 
Genesis 26:12 (J), compare 
Ecclesiastes 11:1; = 
acquire, get wounds and dishonour 
Proverbs 6:33; 
חֵן בְּעֵינֵי פ׳ מ׳ find (= gain, secure) 
favour in the eyes of any one: of 
י׳, † 
Genesis 6:8; 
Exodus 33:12, 
13 (twice in verse); 
Exodus 33:16, 
17; 
Exodus 34:9 (all J), 
Numbers 11:11, 
15 (JE), 
Judges 6:17; 
2 Samuel 15:25; oftener of men 
Genesis 18:3; 
Genesis 19:19; 
Genesis 30:27; 
Genesis 32:6 [
Genesis 32:5 + 
8 times Genesis (all J), 
Numbers 32:5 (JE), 
Deuteronomy 24:1; 
1 Samuel 1:18 + 
7 times Samuel; 
1 Kings 11:19; 
Ruth 2:2, 
10, 
13; 
Esther 5:8; 
Esther 7:3; 
חֵן לִפְנֵי פ׳ מ׳ † 
Esther 8:5; 
אָז הָיִתִי בְעֵינָיו כְּמוֺצֵאת שָׁלָוֺם † 
Songs 8:10; absolute 
מָצָא חֵן † 
Jeremiah 31:2; 
Proverbs 3:4; 
Proverbs 28:23†: = 
seek and find 1 Samuel 20:21 (arrows), 
so 1 Samuel 20:36; figurative of grounds of accusation 
Job 33:10 he succeeds in finding; so also 
Isaiah 58:3, 
13; 
find knowledge of God 
Proverbs 2:5; compare 
Proverbs 8:9, word of 
י׳ Amos 8:12, words of wisdom 
Proverbs 4:22, wisdom 
Job 32:13; 
Proverbs 24:14 (see also below); ransom 
Job 33:24; life 
Proverbs 8:35 (Qr 
מָצָא; > Kt 
מצאי, i.e. 
מֹצְאֵי De Str Wild), 
Proverbs 21:21; with accusative of person 
Genesis 18:26, 
28, 
30 (J), 
Genesis 41:38 (E), 
1 Samuel 9:13 (twice in verse); 
1 Kings 1:3; 
1 Kings 13:14 compare 
1 Kings 13:28, +; of pursuit 
Joshua 2:22 (J); 
find י׳ † 
Hosea 5:6; 
Deuteronomy 4:29; 
Jeremiah 29:13; 
Job 23:3; 
Psalm 32:6 + 
Hosea 6:3 (read 
כֵן נִמְצָאֵהוּ כְּשַׁחֲרֵנוּ, for MT 
כְּשַׁחַר נָכוָֺן מֹצָאוֺ Gie
Beitr. z. Jes. Krit. 208 We Now); so possibly also (object omitted) 
Jeremiah 10:18 (so Gf.; 

 Or read Niph.; Gie 
יֶאְשָׁ֑מוּ), (
Job 37:23; 
11:7 (twice in verse) see below); 
find wisdom (personified) 
Proverbs 1:28; 
Proverbs 8:17, 
35; compare 
Proverbs 3:13.
 
    b. what is lost, missed, with accusative of thing, 
Genesis 31:32, 
33, 
34, 
35, 
37 (E), 
1 Samuel 9:4 (twice in verse); 
Deuteronomy 22:3; Leviticus 5:22; Leviticus 5:23 (P), 
Genesis 36:24 (P) +; 
הַפָּ֑תַח לִמְצֹא וַיִּלְאוּ Genesis 19:11 and they grew weary in finding the door; find a word (to say) 
Nehemiah 5:8; 
Ecclesiastes 12:10, answer 
Job 32:3, vision from 
י׳ Lamentations 2:9; with accusative of person 
Genesis 38:20, 
22, 
23 (J), 
2 Samuel 17:20; 
1 Kings 18:10, 
12; 
1 Kings 21:20 (twice in verse); 
2 Kings 2:17; 
Ezekiel 22:30; 
Proverbs 7:15; 
Songs 3:1, 
2, 
4; 
Songs 5:6 +.
 
    2. find out:
    3. = come upon, light upon:
    a. often unexpectedly = 
happen upon, with accusative of thing, money 
Genesis 44:8 (J), book 
2 Kings 22:8; 
2 Kings 23:24 2 Chronicles 34:14, 
15, compare 
Nehemiah 7:5; honey 
Proverbs 25:16, ship 
Jonah 1:3; a plain 
Genesis 11:2 (J), jawbone 
Judges 15:15; ark of 
י׳ Psalm 132:6 (according to some, but dubious; Bae proposes 
הוֺצֵאנוּהָ); indefinite 
Ezekiel 3:1 (strike out 

 Co); with accusative of person = 
meet, fall in with Genesis 4:14, 
15 compare 
Jeremiah 50:7; 
Genesis 37:15, 
17 (all J), 
1 Samuel 9:11; 
1 Samuel 30:11; 
Deuteronomy 22:23, 
25, 
27, 
28; 
1 Kings 13:24; 
1 Kings 20:36; 
2 Kings 4:29; 
2 Kings 10:13, 
15; 
Songs 3:3; 
Songs 5:7, 
8; 
Songs 8:1; come upon = 
discover, 
Numbers 15:22, 
33; of 
י׳ meeting (finding) Israel in desert 
Hosea 9:10; compare 
Hosea 12:5; 
Deuteronomy 32:10; angel finding Hagar 
Genesis 16:7 (J); 
י׳ finding David 
Psalm 89:21.
 
    † d. † subject fire, 
קֹצִים כִּי תֵצֵא אֵשׁ וּמָֽצְאָה Exodus 22:5 (E).
 
    4. noteworthy phrases are: 
יָדֶ֑ךָ כַּאֲשֶׁר תִּמ׳ Judges 9:33 according to what thy hand findeth, i.e. as the occasion may demand, 
so 1 Samuel 10:7 (with accusative; compare 
Ecclesiastes 9:10 3c); but Eccl 25:8 = 
what thou chancest to have, compare 
כְלִי זָהָב אֲשֶׁר מ׳ Numbers 31:50 (P); 
וְלֹא יִמְצָאֻהוּ Job 20:8 = 
and he shall not be, shall no longer exist, compare 
Isaiah 41:12; 
Ecclesiastes 9:15 they found in it = there happened to be in it; 
לְהִתְפַּלֵּל אֶתלִֿבּוֺ מ׳ 2 Samuel 7:27 he found the heart (took courage) 
to pray = 
1 Chronicles 17:25 (omit 
אתלֿבו, perhaps ancient textual error); 
לֹא מָֽצְאוּ יְדֵיהֶם Psalm 76:6 they did not find their hands, were not able to use them, were paralyzed; 
חַיַּת יָדֵךְ מָצָאתְ Isaiah 57:10 —
experience renewal of thy strength (compare I. 
חַיָּה above Che
Comm.; for other interpretations of 
ח׳, 
ידך, see Ew Di Du Che
Hpt); 
כְּדֵי נְאֻלָּתוֺ וּמָצָא Leviticus 25:26 = 
and he find (that he has) 
enough for its redemption (compare 
דַּי), so 
דֵּי הָשִׁיב מָֽצְאָה יָדוֺ Leviticus 25:28, 
יָדָהּ דֵּי שֶׂה תִּמ׳ Leviticus 12:8 (compare 
תַּגִּיעַ Leviticus 5:7); without 
דַּי, 
וְלֹא מָֽצְאוּ לָהֶם כֵּן Judges 21:14 —
and they (the Israelites) 
did not find enough 
for them, even 
so (compare GFM); also 
וּמָצָא לָהֶם Numbers 11:22 (twice in verse) (JE) 
and so one find (= there be found) enough 
for them (compare Niph. 
Joshua 17:16; 
Zechariah 10:10).
 
Niph. Perfect נִמְצָא 1 Samuel 13:22 +; 
3rd person feminine singular נמצאה Jeremiah 48:27 Kt Gf; < 
נִמְצָא Qr Gie; 
2nd person feminine singular נִמְצֵאת Jeremiah 50:24; 
1st person singular נִמְצֵאתִי Isaiah 65:1, 
וְנִמְצֵאתִי consecutive 
Jeremiah 29:14; 
3rd person plural נִמְצְאוּ Deuteronomy 22:30 +, 
הַנִּמְצְאוּ 1 Chronicles 29:17 (
הַּ = rel., compare Da
Synt. § 22 R. 4 Kö
Synt. § 52); 
Imperfect יִמָּצֵא Genesis 44:9 +; 
3rd person feminine singular תִּמָּצֵא Exodus 22:3 +; 
2nd person feminine singular תִּֽֽֽמּצְאִי Ezekiel 26:21; 
3rd person masculine plural יִֽֽֽמּצְאוּן Genesis 18:29, 
30, 
31, 
32, 
וַיִּמָּֽצְאוּ 1 Chronicles 24:4; 
2 Chronicles 4:16; 
3rd person feminine plural תִּמָּצֶ֑אינָה Jeremiah 50:20; 
Infinitive הִמָּצֵא Exodus 22:3 (= Infinitive absolute compare Ba
NB 74), suffix 
הִמָּֽצְאוֺ Isaiah 55:6; 
Participle נִמְצָא Judges 20:48 +, feminine singular 
נִמְצָאָ֑ה 2 Kings 19:4 = 
Isaiah 37:4; plural 
נִמְצְאִים 1 Samuel 13:15 + 
11 times; 
נִמְצָאִים only 
Ezra 8:25; suffix 
2nd person feminine singular נִמְצָאַיִךְ Isaiah 22:3; 
נִמְצָאוֺת Genesis 19:15; 
Judges 20:48; — passive of Qal, 
be found: 
    1.
    f. of persons sought 
Genesis 18:29, 
Genesis 18:30, 
Genesis 18:31, 
32 (J), 
Joshua 10:17 (JE), 
1 Samuel 10:21; 
2 Samuel 7:12; 
1 Chronicles 26:31; in geneological register 
Ezra 2:62 = 
Nehemiah 7:64; of 
י׳, specifically, 
let himself be found of (
by) any one: followed by 
לְ person 
Isaiah 65:1; 
Jeremiah 29:14; 
1 Chronicles 28:9; 
2 Chronicles 15:2, 
4, 
15, absolute 
Isaiah 55:6.
 
    g. = be discovered, detected:
    2. be found = be:
Hiph. Perfect 1st person singular suffix הִמְצִיתִךָ 2 Samuel 3:8; 
3rd person masculine plural הִמְצִיאוּ Leviticus 9:13; 
Imperfect 3rd person masculine singular suffix 3rd person masculine singular יַמְצִאֶנּוּ Job 34:11, 
יַמְצִאֵהוּ Job 37:13; 
3rd person masculine plural וַיַמְצִאוּ Leviticus 9:12, 
18; 
Participle מַמְצִיא Zechariah 11:6; — 
    1. cause to find, attain, with accusative of person 
Job 34:11 (subject God).
 
    2. cause to light upon, come upon, come with accusative of cloud 
Job 37:13 (dubious)
 
    3. cause to encounter, deliver up to, with accusative of person, + 
בְּיַד 2 Samuel 3:8 (subject man), 
Zechariah 11:6 (subject God).
 
    4. present unto (
אֶלֿ), of Aaron's sons ministering unto him, with accusative of offering, and of blood, 
Leviticus 9:12, 
13, 
18.
 
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