Definition
a primitive root; properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or acquire; figuratively, to occur, meet or be present
Traditional renderings: be able, befall, being, catch, × certainly, (cause to) come (on, to, to hand), deliver, be enough (cause to) find(-ing, occasion, out), get (hold upon), × have (here), be here, hit, be left, light (up-) on, meet (with), × occasion serve, (be) present, ready, speed, suffice, take hold on.
Traditional renderings: be able, befall, being, catch, × certainly, (cause to) come (on, to, to hand), deliver, be enough (cause to) find(-ing, occasion, out), get (hold upon), × have (here), be here, hit, be left, light (up-) on, meet (with), × occasion serve, (be) present, ready, speed, suffice, take hold on.
In the Greek Old Testament
How the ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament renders מָצָא:
- εὑρίσκωehuriskō“to find/meet”91%
- καίkai“and”1%
- καταλαμβάνωkatalambanō“to grasp”1%
- προσφέρωprospherō“to bring to”1%
- ἀρκέωarkeō“be sufficient”1%
Usage patterns
Occurrences
455 total
- Genesis 44:17נִמְצָ֨א · was foundBut Joseph replied, “Far be it from me to do this. The man who was found with the cup will be my slave. The rest of you may return to your father in peace.”
- Genesis 44:34יִמְצָ֖א · would overwhelmFor how can I go back to my father without the boy? I could not bear to see the misery that would overwhelm him.”
- Genesis 47:14הַנִּמְצָ֤א · to be foundJoseph collected all the money to be found in the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan in exchange for the grain they were buying, and he brought it into Pharaoh’s palace.
- Genesis 47:25נִמְצָא־ · We have found“You have saved our lives,” they said. “We have found favor in our lord’s eyes, and we will be Pharaoh’s servants.”
- Genesis 47:29מָצָ֤אתִי · I have foundWhen the time drew near for Israel to die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes, put your hand under my thigh and promise to show me kindness and faithfulness. Do not bury me in Egypt,
- Genesis 50:4מָצָ֤אתִי · I have foundWhen the days of mourning had passed, Joseph said to Pharaoh’s court, “If I have found favor in your eyes, please tell Pharaoh that
- Exodus 5:11תִּמְצָ֑אוּ · you can find itGo and get your own straw wherever you can find it; but your workload will in no way be reduced.’”
- Exodus 9:19יִמָּצֵ֣א · remainsSo give orders now to shelter your livestock and everything you have in the field. Every man or beast that remains in the field and is not brought inside will die when the hail comes down upon them.’”
- Exodus 12:19יִמָּצֵ֖א · foundFor seven days there must be no leaven found in your houses. If anyone eats something leavened, that person, whether a foreigner or native of the land, must be cut off from the congregation of Israel.
- Exodus 15:22מָ֥צְאוּ · findingThen Moses led Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the Desert of Shur. For three days they walked in the desert without finding water.
- Exodus 16:25תִמְצָאֻ֖הוּ · find anything“Eat it today,” Moses said, “because today is a Sabbath to the LORD. Today you will not find anything in the field.
- Exodus 16:27מָצָֽאוּ׃ס · find anythingYet on the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, but they did not find anything.
- Exodus 18:8מְצָאָ֣תַם · they had encounteredThen Moses recounted to his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardships they had encountered along the way, and how the LORD had delivered them.
- Exodus 21:16וְנִמְצָ֥א · or the man is foundWhoever kidnaps another man must be put to death, whether he sells him or the man is found in his possession.
- Exodus 22:2יִמָּצֵ֥א · is caughtIf a thief is caught breaking in and is beaten to death, no one shall be guilty of bloodshed.
- Exodus 22:4הִמָּצֵא֩ · is actually found; תִמָּצֵ֨אIf what was stolen is actually found alive in his possession—whether ox or donkey or sheep—he must pay back double.
- Exodus 22:6וּמָצְאָ֤ה · and spreadsIf a fire breaks out and spreads to thornbushes so that it consumes stacked or standing grain, or the whole field, the one who started the fire must make full restitution.
- Exodus 22:7יִמָּצֵ֥א · caughtIf a man gives his neighbor money or goods for safekeeping and they are stolen from the neighbor’s house, the thief, if caught, must pay back double.
- Exodus 22:8יִמָּצֵא֙ · foundIf the thief is not found, the owner of the house must appear before the judges to determine whether he has taken his neighbor’s property.
- Exodus 33:12מָצָ֥אתָ · foundThen Moses said to the LORD, “Look, You have been telling me, ‘Lead this people up,’ but You have not let me know whom You will send with me. Yet You have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have found favor in My sight.’
- Exodus 33:13מָצָ֨אתִי · I have found; אֶמְצָא־ · and findNow if indeed I have found favor in Your sight, please let me know Your ways, that I may know You and find favor in Your sight. Remember that this nation is Your people.”
- Exodus 33:16מָצָ֨אתִי · have foundFor how then can it be known that Your people and I have found favor in Your sight, unless You go with us? How else will we be distinguished from all the other people on the face of the earth?”
- Exodus 33:17מָצָ֤אתָ · you have foundSo the LORD said to Moses, “I will do this very thing you have asked, for you have found favor in My sight, and I know you by name.”
- Exodus 34:9מָצָ֨אתִי · I have indeed found“O Lord,” he said, “if I have indeed found favor in Your sight, my Lord, please go with us. Although this is a stiff-necked people, forgive our iniquity and sin, and take us as Your inheritance.”
- Exodus 35:23נִמְצָ֣אEveryone who had blue, purple, or scarlet yarn, or fine linen, goat hair, ram skins dyed red, or articles of fine leather, brought them.
- Exodus 35:24נִמְצָ֨א · hadAnd all who could present an offering of silver or bronze brought it as a contribution to the LORD. Also, everyone who had acacia wood for any part of the service brought it.
- Leviticus 6:3מָצָ֧א · finds…or finds lost property and lies about it and swears falsely, or if he commits any such sin that a man might commit—
- Leviticus 6:4מָצָֽא׃ · he found…once he has sinned and becomes guilty, he must return what he has stolen or taken by extortion, or the deposit entrusted to him, or the lost property he found,
- Leviticus 9:12וַ֠יַּמְצִאוּ · brought himThen Aaron slaughtered the burnt offering. His sons brought him the blood, and he splattered it on all sides of the altar.
- Leviticus 9:13הִמְצִ֧יאוּ · They broughtThey brought him the burnt offering piece by piece, including the head, and he burned them on the altar.
- Leviticus 9:18וַ֠יַּמְצִאוּ · brought himThen he slaughtered the ox and the ram as the people’s peace offering. His sons brought him the blood, and he splattered it on all sides of the altar.
- Leviticus 12:8תִמְצָ֣א · affordBut if she cannot afford a lamb, she shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. Then the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean.’”
- Leviticus 25:26וּמָצָ֖א · and acquiresOr if a man has no one to redeem it for him, but he prospers and acquires enough to redeem his land,
- Leviticus 25:28מָֽצְאָ֜ה · obtainBut if he cannot obtain enough to repay him, what he sold will remain in possession of the buyer until the Year of Jubilee. In the Jubilee, however, it is to be released, so that he may return to his property.
- Numbers 11:11מָצָ֥תִי · foundSo Moses asked the LORD, “Why have You brought this trouble on Your servant? Why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have laid upon me the burden of all these people?
- Numbers 11:15מָצָ֥אתִי · I have foundIf this is how You are going to treat me, please kill me right now—if I have found favor in Your eyes—and let me not see my own wretchedness.”
- Numbers 11:22וּמָצָ֣א · would they have enough; וּמָצָ֥א · would they have enoughIf all our flocks and herds were slaughtered for them, would they have enough? Or if all the fish in the sea were caught for them, would they have enough?”
- Numbers 15:32וַֽיִּמְצְא֗וּ · was foundWhile the Israelites were in the wilderness, a man was found gathering wood on the Sabbath day.
- Numbers 15:33הַמֹּצְאִ֥ים · Those who foundThose who found the man gathering wood brought him to Moses, Aaron, and the whole congregation,
- Numbers 20:14מְצָאָֽתְנוּ׃ · has befallen usFrom Kadesh, Moses sent messengers to tell the king of Edom, “This is what your brother Israel says: You know all the hardship that has befallen us,
- Numbers 31:50מָצָ֤א · acquiredSo we have brought to the LORD an offering of the gold articles each man acquired—armlets, bracelets, rings, earrings, and necklaces—to make atonement for ourselves before the LORD.”
- Numbers 32:5מָצָ֤אנוּ · we have found“If we have found favor in your sight,” they said, “let this land be given to your servants as a possession. Do not make us cross the Jordan.”
- Numbers 32:23תִּמְצָ֖א · will find you outBut if you do not do this, you will certainly sin against the LORD—and be assured that your sin will find you out.
- Numbers 35:27וּמָצָ֤א · finds…and the avenger of blood finds him outside of his city of refuge and kills him, then the avenger will not be guilty of bloodshed,
- Deuteronomy 4:29וּמָצָ֑אתָ · you will findBut if from there you will seek the LORD your God, you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.
- Deuteronomy 4:30וּמְצָא֕וּךָ · have happened to youWhen you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the LORD your God and listen to His voice.
- Deuteronomy 17:2יִמָּצֵ֤א · is foundIf a man or woman among you in one of the towns that the LORD your God gives you is found doing evil in the sight of the LORD your God by transgressing His covenant