מׇתְנַיִם

n.m.du. loins (Arabic مَتْنٌ back, مَتْنَتَانِ the two sides of the back, etc.; Syriac ܡܰܬ̈ܢܳܬܳܐ );—abs. מ׳ Dt 33:11 + 7 times, מָתְנָ֑יִם Ez 29:7; 47:4; cstr. מָתְנֵי Je 13:11 + 3 times; sf. מָתְנַי Is 21:3, מָתְנָ֑י Je 13:2; מָתְנֵיהֶם 1 K 20:32 + 4 times, etc.;—loins: place of wearing girdle 1 K 2:5 2 K 1:8 Je 13:1, 2, 4, 11 Ez 23:15; fig. Is 11:5 righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins. hence place of things attached to girdle:—sword girded on (חגר על, אסר) 2 S 20:8 Ne 4:12; opp., וּמָתְנֵי מְלָכִים אֲפַתֵּחַ Is 45:1 and the loins of kings I will loosen, i.e. will disarm them (י׳ before Cyrus; cf. Che); ink-horn Ez 9:2, 3, 11. girding up loins = make ready for action, וַיְשַׁנֵּס מָתְנָיו 1 K 18:46; more often חָגַר מ׳ 2 K 4:29; 9:1 Ex 12:11 (P), Dn 10:5; אָזַר מ׳ Je 1:17. זַרְזִיר מ׳ Pr 30:31 that which is girt in the loins, i.e. prob. either a greyhound Ew Bö De (contracted, as if by a belt), or a war-horse, charger, Bö Ges Hi Str Wild (with a saddle); cf. also זרזיר, p. 267 supr.; text perhaps corrupt (Wild). girded with sackcloth (in mourning) Gn 37:34 (J), Am 8:10 Is 20:2 1 K 20:31, 32 Je 48:37. linen breeches of priests were to extend מִמָּתְנַיִם וְעַד יְרֵכַיִם Ex 28:42 (P); to be עַל־מָת׳ Ez 44:18; loins of slaves are girt with waistcloth, cf. Jb 12:18 (v. also אֵזוֹר). in gen. of the middle of the body, מֵי מָת׳ Ez 47:4 (i.e. water reaching to the loins); so of the appearance of י׳ in Ezek.’s visions Ez 1:27(×2); 8:2(×2). loins as seat of strength, Dt 33:11 1 K 12:10 = 2 Ch 10:10; חַזֵּק מָתְנַיִם Na 2:2 (‖ אַמֵּץ כֹּחַ); כֹּחוֹ בְּמָתְנָיו Jb 40:16 (of hippopotamus); in combin. with 1 a (fig.) חָֽגְרָה בְּעוֹז מ׳ Pr 31:17 she girdeth her loins with strength, she puts on energy with her girdle; cf. also בְּשִׁבְרוֹן מ׳ Ez 21:11 sigh with breaking of loins, i.e. in entire collapse of strength; so וּמ׳ תָּמִיד הַמְעַ֑ד ψ 69:24 and make their loins continually to shake, make them totter; cf. Ez 29:7 (where read וְהִמְעַדְתָּ for וְהַעֲמַדְתָּ, v. מָעַד). as seat of keenest pain, due to grief or dread Na 2:11 Is 21:3 (as in travail); so prob. also ψ 66:11 (cf. Bae; and v. מוּעָקָה sub עוק).