Lexical Definition

‎מֹתֶן‎ môthen (mo'-then) loin ^H:N-M
from an unused root meaning to be slender

[phrase] greyhound, loins, side.

• properly, the waist or small of the back
• only in plural the loins

1) loins, hips
1a) used with זַרְזִיר in Pr 30:31; perhaps an extinct animal, exact meaning unknown

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎מָתְנַ֫יִם‎ noun masculine dual loins (Arabic back, the two sides of the back, etc.; Syriac ; — absolute ‎׳‎‎מ‎ Deut 33:11 + 7 t., ‎מָתְנָ֑יִם‎ Ezek 29:7; Ezek 47:4 construct ‎מָתְנֵי‎ Jer 13:11 + 3t.; suffix ‎מָתְנַי‎ Isa 21:3, ‎מָתְנָ֑י‎ Jer 13:2 ‎מָתְנֵיהֶם‎ 1 Kings + Jer 20:32 + 4 t., etc.; — loins:

1. a. place of wearing girdle 1Kgs 2:5; 2Kgs 1:8; Jer 13:1; Jer 13:2; Jer 13:4; Jer 13:11; Ezek 23:15 figurative Isa 11:5 righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins.
b. hence place of things attached to girdle: — sword girded on (‎חגר על‎, ‎אסר‎ 2Sam 20:8; Neh 4:12* opposed to, ‎וּמָתְנֵי מְלָכִים אֲפַתֵּחַ‎ Isa 45:1 and the loins of kings I will loosen, i e. will disarm them (‎׳‎‎י‎ before Cyrus; compare Che); ink-horn Ezek 9:2; Ezek 9:3; Ezek 9:11.
c. girding up loins = make ready for action, ‎וַיְשַׁנֵּס‎ ‎מָתְנָיו‎ 1Kgs 18:46 more often ‎׳‎‎חָגַר מ‎ 2Kgs 4:29; 2Kgs 9:1; Exod 12:11 (P), Dan 10:5 ‎׳‎‎אָזַר מ‎ Jer 1:17.
d. ‎׳‎‎זַרְזִיר מ‎ Prov 30:31 that which is girt in the loins, i.e. probably either a greyhound Ew Bö De (contracted, as if by a belt), or a war-horse, charger, Bo Ges Hi Str Wild (with a saddle); compare also ‎זרזיר‎, p. 267 above; text perhaps corrupt (Wild).
e. girded with sackcloth (in mourning) Gen 37:34 (J), Amos 8:10; Isa 20:2; 1Kgs 20:31; 1Kgs 20:32; Jer 48:37. feminine linen breeches of priests were to extend ‎מִמָּתְנַיִם וְעַד‎ ‎יְרֵכַיִם‎ Exod 28:42 (P); to be ‎׳‎‎עַלמָֿת‎ Ezek 44:18 loins of slaves are girt with waistcloth, compare Job 12:18 (see also ‎אֵזוֺר‎).
g. in general of the middle of the body, ‎׳‎‎מֵי מָת‎ Ezek 47:4 (i.e. water reaching to the loins); so of the appearance of ‎׳‎‎י‎ in Ezekiel's visions Ezek 1:27 (twice in verse); Ezek 8:2 (twice in verse).

2. a. loins as seat of strength, Deut 33:11; 1Kgs 12:10 = 2Chr 10:10 ‎חַזֵּק מָתְנַיִם‎ Nah 2:2* (|| ‎אַמֵּץ כֹּחַ‎); ‎כֹּחוֺ בְּמָתְנָיו‎ Job 40:16 (of hippopotamus); in combination with 1 a (figurative) ‎חָֽגְרָה‎ ‎׳‎‎בְּעוֺז מ‎ Prov 31:17 she girdeth her loins with strength, she puts on energy with her girdle; compare also ‎׳‎‎בְּשִׁבְרוֺן מ‎ Ezek 21:11* sigh with breaking of loins, i.e. in entire collapse of strength; so ‎תָּמִיד‎ ‎׳‎‎הַמְעַ֑ד וּמ‎ Ps 69:24* and make their loins continually to shake, make them totter; compare Ezek 29:7 (where read ‎וְהִמְעַדְתָּ‎ for ‎וְהַעֲמַדְתָּ‎, see ‎מָעַד‎).
b. as seat of keenest pain, due to grief or dread Nah 2:11*; Isa 21:3 (as in travail); so probably also Ps 66:11 (compare Bae; and see ‎מוּעָקָה‎ below ‎עוק‎).

Brown-Driver-Briggs References