מִנְחָה n.f. gift, tribute, offering (NH id.; Ph. מנחת; T מִנְחָתָא on Arabic v. supr.); – abs. מ׳ Gn 4:3 + 81 t.; cstr. מִנְחַת Lv 2:7 + 22 t.; sf. מִנְחָתִי Gn 33:10 + 3 t.; + 41 t. sfs. sg.; pl. sf. מִנְחֹתֶיךָ Ps 20:4; מִנְחֹתֵיכֶם Nu 29:39 Am 5:22; – *

1. gift, present Gn 32:14, 19, 21, 22, 33:10; 43:11, 15, 25, 26, Ju 6:18 1 S 10:27 1 K 10:25 = 2 Ch 9:24 2 K 8:8, 9; 20:12 = Is 39:1, Ps 45:13 2 Ch 32:23. *

2. tribute Ju 3:15, 17, 18⁽⁺⁾ 2 S 8:2, 6 = Ch 18:2, 6, 1 K 5:1 2 K 17:3, 4 2 Ch 17:5, 11; 26:8 Ho 10:6 Ps 72:10. *

3. offering made to God, of any kind, whether grain or animals Gn 4:3, 4, 5 Nu 16:15, 1 S 2:17, 29; 26:19 Is 1:13 Ps 96:8 Zp 3:10; + (prob.) (לַ)עֲלוֹת הַמִּנְחָה 1 K 18:29, 36 2 K 3:20 (Ephr.; usually regarded as = מִנְחַת עֶרֶב, but that much later usage). This gen. meaning poss. also in foll.: זבח ומנחה 1 S 2:29 (see v 29 b), 3:14 Is 19:21; עלה ומנחה Je 14:12; || עולה Ps 20:4; || שֶׁלֶם Am 5:22 (עֹלוֹת gloss, to explain אָרִיחַ); or these may show early stage of discrimination. *

4. grain offering (whether raw, roasted, ground to flour, or prepared as bread or cakes, see below. AV meat offering, misleading < RV meal-offering. GFM ^{Judges 322} renders cereal oblation); – יָבִיאוּ אֶת־הַמִּנְחָה בִּכְלִי טָהוֹר Is 66:20 they bring the grain offering in clean vessels (restored Jews are brought as such an offering), cf. מנחה טהורה Mal 1:11; brought in hands Je 41:5 (late addit. Co); received from hands Mal 1:10; חִטִּים למנחה 1 Ch 21:23 wheat for grain offering; סֹלֶת 1 Ch 23:29, mixed with oil Ez 46:14, baked v 20; disting. from other offerings 1 K 8:64⁽⁺⁾ = 2 Ch 7:7, 2 K 16:13, 15⁽⁺⁾ Is 43:23; 57:6; 66:3 Je 17:26; 33:18; 41:5, Ez 42:13; 44:29; 45:15, 17⁽⁺⁾, 25 Am 5:22, 25 Dn 9:27 Ps 40:7; used alone Ne 13:5, 9 Ez 45:24; 46:5⁽⁺⁾, 7, 11, 14⁽⁺⁾, 15 Mal 1:13; 2:12, 13; 3:3, 4 Ju 13:19, 23 (GFM ^{Judges 322}); מִנְחַת (הָ)עֶרֶב evening grain offering 2 K 16:15 Ezr 9:4, 5 Dn 9:21 Ps 141:2; מִנְחַת הַתָּמִיד continual grain off. Ne 10:34, cf. Lv 6:13 Nu 4:16 (all cases under 4 exilic or post-exilic).

5. grain-offering, always with this meaning in classifications Ex 30:9; 40:29 Lv 7:37; 23:37 Nu 18:9; 29:39 Jos 22:23, 29:
a. אָבִיב grain in the ear parched with fire, with oil and frankincense Lv 2:14, 15.
b. סֹלֶת fine flour with oil and frankincense Lv 2:1; 6:7, 8; elsewhere בְּלוּלָה בַּשֶּׁמֶן mingled with oil Lv 14:10, 21; 23:13 Nu 7:13 + 10 t. 8:8; 15:4, 6, 9 Nu 28:5 + 6 t.; 29:3, 9, 14, except sin offering of very poor where offered without oil and frankincense Lv 5:11–13.
c. סֹלֶת baked in an oven as חַלּוֹת perforated cakes, or רְקִיקִים flat cakes Lv 2:4; 7:9 Nu 6:15, על הַמַּחֲבַת on a flat pan Lv 2:5; 6:14; 7:9, or מַרְחֶשֶׁת frying pan Lv 2:7; 7:9. All these always unleavned (מַצּוֹת) and mixed with oil and salt Lv 2:11–13.
d. at Pentecost to consecrate new bread, מִנְחָה חֲדָשָׁה new grain offering of two loaves of leavened bread Lv 23:16, 17 Nu 28:26.
e. barley meal without oil or incense; מִנְחַת קְנָאֹת grain offering of jealousy, מ׳ זִכָּרוֹן Nu 5:15, 18, 25. Cf. phrases מִנְחַת הֶבֹּקֶר morning oblation Ex 29:41 Nu 28:8; קָרְבַּן מ׳ Lv 2:1, 4, 13; מ׳ בִּכּוּרִים Lv 2:14; מ׳ פִּתִּים Lv 6:14.

6. vbs. of offering are הֵבִיא Gn 4:3, Lv 2:2, 8, Is 1:13; 66:20⁽⁺⁾ Je 17:26 Mal 1:13; הִקְרִיב Lv 2:1, 8, 11; 6:7 Nu 5:25; עשׂה Nu 6:17; 28:31 1 K 8:64 = 2 Ch 7:7, Ez 45:24; 46:7, 14, 15; הקטיר 2 K 16:13, 15 Je 33:18; העלה Is 57:6; 66:3 Je 14:12; הגישׁ Am 5:25 Mal 2:12; 3:3; הוביל Ho 10:6 Zp 3:10; נשׂא Ps 96:8, also (מ׳ = tribute) 2 S 8:2, 6 and ||; השׁיב 2 K 17:3 Ps 72:10.

This dictionary is a modified version of: F. Brown, S. R. Driver, and C. A. Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (Oxford, 1906). Comments and corrections can be sent to us at: support@alhatorah.org