Lexical Summary meged: Excellence, preciousness, bounty Original Word: מֶגֶד Strong's Exhaustive Concordance pleasant, precious fruit thing From an unused root probably meaning to be eminent; properly, a distinguished thing; hence something valuable, as a product or fruit -- pleasant, precious fruit (thing). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom an unused word Definition excellence NASB Translation choice (5), choice things (3), fruits* (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs מֶ֫גֶד noun masculine excellence (Late Hebrew id., choice fruit; Syriac  fruit; Arabic  glory, honour, nobility); — ׳מ construct Deuteronomy 33:13 4t. Deuteronomy 33; plural מְגָדִים Cant 4:13; Song 7:14; suffix מְגָדָיו Cant 4:16 — excellence: excellent or choice things; always of gifts of nature: שָׁמַיִם ׳מ Deuteronomy 33:13 i.e. (natural) gifts of heaven; תְּבוּאֹת שֶׁמֶשׁ ׳מ Deuteronomy 33:14; גֶּרֶשׁ יְרָחִים ׳מ Deuteronomy 33:14; גִּבְעוֺת עוֺלָם ׳מ Deuteronomy 33:15 ("" ראֹשׁ הַרֲרֵי קֶדֶם); אֶרֶץ וּמְלֹאָהּ ׳מ; plural abstract ׳מְּרִי מ (= excellent fruit) Songs 4:13,16; ׳מ alone = foregoing, Songs 7:14. Topical Lexicon Scope and Key Idea מֶגֶד describes the best, sweetest, most sought-after produce of creation. Wherever the word appears, it signals lavish blessing—agricultural abundance in the literal sense, and by extension every rich gift that flows from the Creator’s favor. Distribution in Scripture Eight uses cluster in two passages: the farewell Blessing of Moses over Joseph (Deuteronomy 33:13–16, five occurrences) and the Song of Songs (4:13; 4:16; 7:13, three occurrences). Together they frame מֶגֶד as both covenant provision for the tribe that would feed the nations and as the fragrant fruit of covenant love. Blessing of Joseph in Deuteronomy 33 1. Breadth of the gift. Moses prays that Joseph’s territory enjoy “the precious dew from heaven above and the deep waters that lie beneath” (Deuteronomy 33:13). Every layer—sky, soil, subterranean aquifers—is enlisted to deliver bounty. Historical note: Ephraim and Manasseh later occupied some of Canaan’s richest pasturelands (Joshua 17). Their strategic grain supplies in the northern hill country helped sustain the United Monarchy under David and Solomon and, centuries later, became the prize sought by Aramean and Assyrian invaders. The promise of מֶגֶד proved both blessing and strategic trust test. Imagery in the Song of Songs 1. Garden delight. “Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates with choice fruits (מֶגֶד)” (Song of Songs 4:13). The beloved’s life overflows with nourishing sweetness; covenant intimacy produces harvest. Pastoral observation: where Deuteronomy focuses on corporate provision, the Song applies the same term to personal, covenant fidelity. Both spheres—public and private—are meant to display God’s generous heart. Covenant and Creation Themes • Eden restored: Abundance echoes Genesis 1–2; the land “good and very good” reappears in Israel’s inheritance and in the lovers’ garden. Christological Significance Old Testament bounty foreshadows the “grace in place of grace already given” (John 1:16). Jesus, the greater Joseph, secures the fullness promised: Practical Ministry Insights • Gratitude discipline: Recognize all provisions—paychecks, harvests, answered prayers—as מֶגֶד entrusted by God. Related Hebrew Vocabulary • טוֹב, “goodness,” speaks of inherent quality; מֶגֶד emphasizes select, praiseworthy yield. The eight occurrences of מֶגֶד thus weave a single testimony: the God who calls a people to Himself also lavishes them with the finest gifts, that they might enjoy Him, testify to His generosity, and anticipate the unending harvest of the age to come. Forms and Transliterations וּמִמֶּ֖גֶד וּמִמֶּ֗גֶד וממגד מְגָדִ֑ים מְגָדִ֔ים מְגָדָֽיו׃ מִמֶּ֤גֶד מגדיו׃ מגדים ממגד mə·ḡā·ḏāw mə·ḡā·ḏîm megaDav məḡāḏāw megaDim məḡāḏîm mim·me·ḡeḏ miMeged mimmeḡeḏ ū·mim·me·ḡeḏ umiMeged ūmimmeḡeḏLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Deuteronomy 33:13 HEB: יְהֹוָ֖ה אַרְצ֑וֹ מִמֶּ֤גֶד שָׁמַ֙יִם֙ מִטָּ֔ל NAS: [be] his land, With the choice things of heaven, KJV: [be] his land, for the precious things of heaven, INT: of the LORD his land the choice of heaven the dew Deuteronomy 33:14 Deuteronomy 33:14 Deuteronomy 33:15 Deuteronomy 33:16 Songs 4:13 Songs 4:16 Songs 7:13 8 Occurrences |
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