Strong's H4592 · Hebrew
מְעַט
mᵉʻaṭ · /meh-at'/
Definition
a little or few (often adverbial or compar.)
KJV: almost (some, very) few(-er, -est), lightly, little (while), (very) small (matter, thing), some, soon, [idiom] very.
Root / derivation: or מְעָט; from H4591 (מָעַט);
KJV usage breakdown
How the Authorized (KJV) translators rendered מְעַט across 92 verses.
Every occurrence (KJV)
92 verses use this word, grouped by book — the translated form is highlighted.
Genesis10 verses
Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:
Genesis 24:17And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.
Genesis 24:43Behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass, that when the virgin cometh forth to draw water, and I say to her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher to drink;
Genesis 26:10And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done unto us? one of the people might lightly have lien with thy wife, and thou shouldest have brought guiltiness upon us.
Genesis 30:15And she said unto her, Is it a small matter that thou hast taken my husband? and wouldest thou take away my son's mandrakes also? And Rachel said, Therefore he shall lie with thee to night for thy son's mandrakes.
Genesis 30:30For it was little which thou hadst before I came, and it is now increased unto a multitude; and the LORD hath blessed thee since my coming: and now when shall I provide for mine own house also? increased: Heb. broken forth since: Heb. at my foot
Genesis 43:2And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food.
Genesis 43:11And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds:
Genesis 44:25And our father said, Go again, and buy us a little food.
Genesis 47:9And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.
Exodus2 verses
Numbers7 verses
And see the land, what it is; and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many;
Numbers 16:9Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them?
Numbers 16:13Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us?
Numbers 26:54To many thou shalt give the more inheritance, and to few thou shalt give the less inheritance: to every one shall his inheritance be given according to those that were numbered of him. give the more: Heb. multiply his inheritance give the less: Heb. diminish his inheritance
Numbers 26:56According to the lot shall the possession thereof be divided between many and few.
Numbers 33:54And ye shall divide the land by lot for an inheritance among your families: and to the more ye shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer ye shall give the less inheritance: every man's inheritance shall be in the place where his lot falleth; according to the tribes of your fathers ye shall inherit. give the more: Heb. multiply his inheritance give the less: Heb. diminish his inheritance
Numbers 35:8And the cities which ye shall give shall be of the possession of the children of Israel: from them that have many ye shall give many; but from them that have few ye shall give few: every one shall give of his cities unto the Levites according to his inheritance which he inheriteth. he: Heb. they inherit
Deuteronomy5 verses
The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:
Deuteronomy 7:22And the LORD thy God will put out those nations before thee by little and little: thou mayest not consume them at once, lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee. put: Heb. pluck off
Deuteronomy 26:5And thou shalt speak and say before the LORD thy God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous:
Deuteronomy 28:38Thou shalt carry much seed out into the field, and shalt gather but little in; for the locust shall consume it.
Deuteronomy 28:62And ye shall be left few in number, whereas ye were as the stars of heaven for multitude; because thou wouldest not obey the voice of the LORD thy God.
Joshua2 verses
And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labour thither; for they are but few. about: Heb. about two thousand men, or, about three thousand men
Joshua 22:17Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we are not cleansed until this day, although there was a plague in the congregation of the LORD,
1 Samuel4 verses
And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us: for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few.
1 Samuel 14:29Then said Jonathan, My father hath troubled the land: see, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey.
1 Samuel 14:43Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in mine hand, and, lo, I must die.
1 Samuel 17:28And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.
2 Samuel3 verses
And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.
2 Samuel 16:1And when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and an hundred bunches of raisins, and an hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.
2 Samuel 19:36Thy servant will go a little way over Jordan with the king: and why should the king recompense it me with such a reward?
1 Kings2 verses
So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.
1 Kings 17:12And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.
1 Chronicles1 verse
2 Chronicles2 verses
And when the LORD saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves; therefore I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance; and my wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak. some: or, a little while
2 Chronicles 29:34But the priests were too few, so that they could not flay all the burnt offerings: wherefore their brethren the Levites did help them, till the work was ended, and until the other priests had sanctified themselves: for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests. did help: Heb. strengthened them
Nehemiah2 verses
And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem: neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon.
Nehemiah 7:4Now the city was large and great: but the people were few therein, and the houses were not builded. large: Heb. broad in spaces
Job4 verses
Are not my days few? cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little,
Job 15:11Are the consolations of God small with thee? is there any secret thing with thee?
Job 24:24They are exalted for a little while, but are gone and brought low; they are taken out of the way as all other, and cut off as the tops of the ears of corn. are gone: Heb. are not taken: Heb. closed up
Job 32:22For I know not to give flattering titles; in so doing my maker would soon take me away.
Psalms10 verses
Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
Psalms 8:5For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
Psalms 37:10For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.
Psalms 37:16A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.
Psalms 73:2But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.
Psalms 81:14I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.
Psalms 94:17Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence. almost: or, quickly
Psalms 105:12When they were but a few men in number; yea, very few, and strangers in it.
Psalms 109:8Let his days be few; and let another take his office. office: or, charge
Psalms 119:87They had almost consumed me upon earth; but I forsook not thy precepts.
Proverbs6 verses
I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly.
Proverbs 6:10Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
Proverbs 10:20The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.
Proverbs 15:16Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith.
Proverbs 16:8Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.
Proverbs 24:33Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
Ecclesiastes4 verses
Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. thing: or, word
Ecclesiastes 5:12The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.
Ecclesiastes 9:14There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it:
Ecclesiastes 10:1Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour. Dead: Heb. Flies of death
Isaiah7 verses
Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.
Isaiah 7:13And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also?
Isaiah 10:7Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few.
Isaiah 10:25For yet a very little while, and the indignation shall cease, and mine anger in their destruction.
Isaiah 16:14But now the LORD hath spoken, saying, Within three years, as the years of an hireling, and the glory of Moab shall be contemned, with all that great multitude; and the remnant shall be very small and feeble. feeble: or, not many
Isaiah 26:20Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.
Isaiah 29:17Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest?
Jeremiah2 verses
And said unto Jeremiah the prophet, Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee, and pray for us unto the LORD thy God, even for all this remnant; (for we are left but a few of many, as thine eyes do behold us:) Let: or, Let our supplication fall before thee
Jeremiah 51:33For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; The daughter of Babylon is like a threshingfloor, it is time to thresh her: yet a little while, and the time of her harvest shall come. it is: or, in the time that he thresheth her
Ezekiel5 verses
Thou shalt also take thereof a few in number, and bind them in thy skirts. skirts: Heb. wings
Ezekiel 11:16Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come.
Ezekiel 16:20Moreover thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters, whom thou hast borne unto me, and these hast thou sacrificed unto them to be devoured. Is this of thy whoredoms a small matter, to be: Heb. to devour
Ezekiel 16:47Yet hast thou not walked after their ways, nor done after their abominations: but, as if that were a very little thing, thou wast corrupted more than they in all thy ways. as if: or, that was lothed as a small thing
Ezekiel 34:18Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture, but ye must tread down with your feet the residue of your pastures? and to have drunk of the deep waters, but ye must foul the residue with your feet?
Daniel2 verses
Hosea2 verses
And the LORD said unto him, Call his name Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel. avenge: Heb. visit
Hosea 8:10Yea, though they have hired among the nations, now will I gather them, and they shall sorrow a little for the burden of the king of princes. sorrow: or, begin a: or, in a little while
Haggai3 verses
Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. with holes: Heb. pierced through
Haggai 1:9Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the LORD of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house. blow: or, blow it away
Haggai 2:6For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;
Topics that use this word
Frequently asked questions
What does Strong's H4592 (mᵉʻaṭ) mean?
a little or few (often adverbial or compar.)
How many times does H4592 appear in the Bible?
Strong's H4592 (מְעַט) appears in 92 verses of the King James Version, most often translated “little.”
How is mᵉʻaṭ translated in the KJV?
In the KJV, Strong's H4592 is rendered as “little” (49×), “few” (23×), “while” (6×), “almost” (5×), among other words.
Where does the Hebrew word מְעַט come from?
or מְעָט; from H4591 (מָעַט);