מְרִיא
me.ri
fatling
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
ExploredThe Hebrew word מְרִיא (me.ri) is defined as a "fatling." This term refers to a young animal, likely a calf or a lamb, that is well-fed and plump. The word is used eight times in the Bible, indicating its importance in ancient Hebrew culture. The significance of this word lies in its association with wealth and luxury. In biblical times, a fatling was a prized possession, symbolizing prosperity and abundance. The use of this term in various contexts, such as in descriptions of royal feasts and sacrifices, highlights its connection to high social status and ceremonial significance. Given its limited occurrences in the Bible, the word מְרִיא (me.ri) likely carried a specific connotation in ancient Hebrew language and culture, underscoring the importance of wealth, status, and ceremonial practices in biblical society.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
8 total occurrences across the text
“What are the multitude of your sacrifices to me?”, says Yahweh. “I have had enough of the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed animals. I don’t delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of male goats.
Isaiah 11:6The wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat, the calf, the young lion, and the fattened calf together; and a little child will lead them.
Ezekiel 39:18You shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth, of rams, of lambs, and of goats, of bulls, all of them fatlings of Bashan.
Amos 5:22Yes, though you offer me your burnt offerings and meal offerings, I will not accept them; neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat animals.
2 Samuel 6:13When those who bore Yahweh’s ark had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf.
1 Kings 1:9Adonijah killed sheep, cattle, and fatlings by the stone of Zoheleth, which is beside En Rogel; and he called all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah, the king’s servants;
1 Kings 1:19He has slain cattle and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has called all the sons of the king, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the army; but he hasn’t called Solomon your servant.
1 Kings 1:25For he has gone down today, and has slain cattle, fatlings, and sheep in abundance, and has called all the king’s sons, the captains of the army, and Abiathar the priest. Behold, they are eating and drinking before him, and saying, ‘Long live king Adonijah!’