4301. matmon

Lexical Summary

matmon: Treasure, hidden treasure

Original Word: מַטְמוֹן
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: matmown
Pronunciation: mat-mone'
Phonetic Spelling: (mat-mone')
KJV: hidden riches, (hid) treasure(-s)
NASB: hidden treasures, hidden, hidden wealth, stores, treasure
Word Origin: [from H2934 (טָּמַן - hidden)]

1. a secret storehouse
2. (hence) a secreted valuable (buried)
3. (generally) money

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

hidden riches, hid treasures

Or matmon {mat-mone'}; or matmun {mat-moon'}; from taman; a secret storehouse; hence, a secreted valuable (buried); generally money -- hidden riches, (hid) treasure(-s).

see HEBREW taman

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from taman
Definition
hidden treasure, treasure
NASB Translation
hidden (1), hidden treasures (2), hidden wealth (1), stores (1), treasure (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

מַטְמוֺן noun masculine hidden treasure, treasure; — absolute מַטְמוֺן Genesis 43:23; plural מַטְמֹנִים Jeremiah 41:8 Proverbs 2:4; מַטְמוֺנִים Job 3:21; construct מַטְמֻנֵי Isaiah 45:3; (hidden) treasure Genesis 43:23 (of money in sacks); מַטְמֻנֵי מִסְתָּרים Isaiah 45:3 (i.e. treasures now hidden in secret places, shall become spoil of Cyrus; "" אוצרות חשׁך), Jeremiah 41:8, appositive חִמִּים שְׁעֹרִים שֶׁמֶן דבשׁ; in comparative Job 3:21 (longing for death more than for treasure), Proverbs 2:4 (wisdom sought for like treasure).

טנא (√ of following; Phoenician טנא is set up, erect, also offer, present, according to DHM in MV^{10, 983}).

Topical Lexicon

Definition and Central Idea

מַטְמוֹן (matmon) designates a treasure or valuable hoard deliberately concealed from view. It evokes both material wealth stored for future use and, by extension, spiritual riches that are not immediately apparent but may be uncovered by diligent seekers.

Old Testament Distribution and Settings

1. Genesis 43:23 – In Egypt Joseph’s steward tells Joseph’s brothers, “Your God, the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks”. Here the hidden treasure is a providential sign of divine favor that defuses the brothers’ fear and foreshadows reconciliation.
2. Job 3:21 – Job compares those who “search for it more than for hidden treasure” with men longing for death. The verse shows how desperation can invert value: life-ending relief is pursued as earnestly as wealth.
3. Proverbs 2:4 – Wisdom is to be sought “as for hidden treasure”. The simile insists that discernment is more precious than silver; it rewards a persevering, investigative faith.
4. Isaiah 45:3 – To Cyrus the LORD promises “the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places”, affirming God’s sovereign ability to transfer resources to accomplish redemptive purposes.
5. Jeremiah 41:8 – Ten Judean men plead for their lives by revealing “treasures of wheat, barley, oil, and honey hidden in the field”. The narrative portrays concealed stores as a means of survival in national crisis.

Theological Themes

Hidden Provision: Genesis and Isaiah present matmon as divinely controlled. The concealed sacks of grain and the subterranean riches of conquered nations underline that God can reveal or withhold resources at will.

Search and Desire: Job and Proverbs contrast the motives of seekers—one pursues death, the other wisdom. The context clarifies that what one treasures determines one’s destination.

Judgment and Mercy: Jeremiah 41:8 shows how hidden supplies can temporarily avert judgment, yet the broader passage reminds readers that mercy without repentance is fragile.

Historical Background

Ancient Near Eastern societies frequently buried valuables to protect them from marauders or sudden upheaval. Patriarchal travel (Genesis), siege conditions (Jeremiah), and imperial conquests (Isaiah) all fit this practice. Matmon connotes not merely wealth but the anxiety and anticipation surrounding its concealment.

Practical and Ministry Implications

• Encourage believers to mine Scripture with the persistence commended in Proverbs 2:4, expecting the Spirit to uncover treasures that transform.
• Remind congregations that material gain, like matmon in Genesis or Isaiah, is entrusted by God for His purposes and should be stewarded accordingly.
• Offer pastoral care to those in suffering (Job 3), guiding them to value the hope of resurrection over the despair that seeks death as a treasure.
• Challenge communities, as in Jeremiah 41, to avoid placing ultimate security in hidden reserves; true safety rests in covenant faithfulness.

Christological and New Testament Echoes

Jesus’ parable of “the treasure hidden in a field” (Matthew 13:44) echoes matmon imagery, presenting the kingdom of heaven as a concealed but surpassing wealth worth any sacrifice. Colossians 2:3 speaks of Christ “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,” aligning with Proverbs 2 and affirming that the fullest revelation of God’s matmon is found in the Lord Himself.

Related Concepts

• סָגִּין (sagin) – storehouse riches (Isaiah 45:3)
• חֹסֶן (ḥosen) – wealth, possession
• θησαυρός (thēsauros, Greek) – treasure; see Matthew 6:21; 13:44

Matmon thus calls readers to recognize God-given resources, pursue wisdom relentlessly, and value the hidden riches that point to Christ and His kingdom.

Forms and Transliterations

וְֽכַמַּטְמוֹנִ֥ים וּמַטְמֻנֵ֖י וכמטמונים ומטמני מִמַּטְמוֹנִֽים׃ מַטְמֹנִים֙ מַטְמוֹן֙ מטמון מטמנים ממטמונים׃ maṭ·mō·nîm maṭ·mō·wn matmOn matmoNim maṭmōnîm maṭmōwn mim·maṭ·mō·w·nîm mimatmoNim mimmaṭmōwnîm ū·maṭ·mu·nê ūmaṭmunê umatmuNei vechammatmoNim wə·ḵam·maṭ·mō·w·nîm wəḵammaṭmōwnîm

Englishman's Concordance

Genesis 43:23
HEB: נָתַ֨ן לָכֶ֤ם מַטְמוֹן֙ בְּאַמְתְּחֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם כַּסְפְּכֶ֖ם
NAS: has given you treasure in your sacks;
KJV: hath given you treasure in your sacks:
INT: of your father has given treasure your sacks your money

Job 3:21
HEB: וְאֵינֶ֑נּוּ וַֽ֝יַּחְפְּרֻ֗הוּ מִמַּטְמוֹנִֽים׃
NAS: for it more than for hidden treasures,
KJV: but it [cometh] not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures;
INT: there and dig hidden

Proverbs 2:4
HEB: תְּבַקְשֶׁ֥נָּה כַכָּ֑סֶף וְֽכַמַּטְמוֹנִ֥ים תַּחְפְּשֶֽׂנָּה׃
NAS: And search for her as for hidden treasures;
KJV: and searchest for her as [for] hid treasures;
INT: seek silver hidden and search

Isaiah 45:3
HEB: אוֹצְר֣וֹת חֹ֔שֶׁךְ וּמַטְמֻנֵ֖י מִסְתָּרִ֑ים לְמַ֣עַן
NAS: of darkness And hidden wealth of secret places,
KJV: of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places,
INT: the treasures of darkness and hidden of secret that

Jeremiah 41:8
HEB: יֶשׁ־ לָ֤נוּ מַטְמֹנִים֙ בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה חִטִּ֥ים
NAS: for we have stores of wheat,
KJV: us not: for we have treasures in the field,
INT: for have stores the field of wheat

5 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 4301
5 Occurrences

maṭ·mō·wn — 1 Occ.
maṭ·mō·nîm — 1 Occ.
mim·maṭ·mō·w·nîm — 1 Occ.
ū·maṭ·mu·nê — 1 Occ.
wə·ḵam·maṭ·mō·w·nîm — 1 Occ.