מֵ֫צַח
me.tsach (H4696)
forehead
AI Word Study
# Biblical Analysis of מֵצַח (Mettsach) The Hebrew word מֵצַח (mettsach) denotes the forehead—the part of the face above the eyes and between the eyebrows extending to the hairline. With thirteen occurrences throughout the biblical text, this anatomical term appears with sufficient frequency to reveal its functional significance in ancient Hebrew thought and practice. The forehead held particular importance in biblical contexts because it was visible, exposed, and associated with identity and emotional expression. As a prominent facial feature, it became a natural location for visible marks, seals, or signs that would be immediately apparent to observers. The relatively modest number of occurrences suggests the term was used when the forehead's visibility or symbolic function was specifically relevant to the narrative or prescriptive content, rather than in casual or incidental descriptions. Without access to the specific verses themselves, the lexical data indicates that מֵצַח functioned as a straightforward anatomical descriptor in Hebrew. Its practical importance in biblical contexts likely relates to scenarios where the forehead's visible nature made it suitable for marking, identifying, or symbolizing something significant about a person's status, devotion, or character.
AI synthesis uses only provided lexicon data -- never training knowledge.
It shall be on Aaron’s forehead, and Aaron shall bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall make holy in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always on his forehead, that they may be accepted before Yahweh.
David put his hand in his bag, took a stone, and slung it, and struck the Philistine in his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth.
Then Uzziah was angry. He had a censer in his hand to burn incense, and while he was angry with the priests, the leprosy broke out on his forehead before the priests in Yahweh’s house, beside the altar of incense.
Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked at him, and behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out quickly from there. Yes, he himself also hurried to go out, because Yahweh had struck him.
Because I knew that you are obstinate, and your neck is an iron sinew, and your brow bronze;
Therefore the showers have been withheld and there has been no latter rain; yet you have had a prostitute’s forehead and you refused to be ashamed.
But the house of Israel will not listen to you, for they will not listen to me; for all the house of Israel are obstinate and hard-hearted.
Behold, I have made your face hard against their faces, and your forehead hard against their foreheads.
I have made your forehead as a diamond, harder than flint. Don’t be afraid of them, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house.”
Yahweh said to him, “Go through the middle of the city, through the middle of Jerusalem, and set a mark on the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry over all the abominations that are done within it.”