מָבוֹא (ma.vo)
ma.vo
entrance
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 18 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun mavo primarily denotes an entrance or the act of entering a place. It appears eighteen times in the Old Testament, often describing physical gateways or ways of access within cities and temples. In books like Joshua and Judges, it helps delineate boundaries and points of entry, grounding the narrative in tangible geography.
A distinct semantic shift occurs when mavo refers to sunset or the west. This usage likely arises from the sun’s daily "entry" into the western horizon. Psalms frequently employ this metaphorical sense, linking the physical direction with the passage of time and the closing of day.
This dual meaning highlights how ancient Hebrew speakers connected spatial movement with temporal cycles. The word captures both the concrete reality of a doorway and the poetic observation of nature’s rhythm. Translators must carefully choose between "entrance" and "sunset" based on the immediate context to preserve this original nuance.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word mavo reminds us that every meaningful journey begins with a step through a threshold. In the Old Testament, it often describes the physical entrances to cities or the temple, marking the boundary between the outside world and a place of safety or worship. When you read about the gates of Jerusalem or the entryways of the sanctuary, you are seeing how ancient Israelites understood community and holiness as places one enters with intention.
Sometimes this word shifts to describe the sunset, the sun’s daily entry into the west. This poetic usage connects our physical surroundings with the passage of time. It suggests that God’s presence is not confined to a single building but spans from the rising to the setting of the sun. Whether you are standing at a literal doorway or watching the day end, this word invites you to recognize that every transition is under God’s care.
For your faith life, mavo encourages mindfulness about where you place your trust. Just as the Israelites gathered at the city gates for justice and worship, you are invited to approach God with openness. The boundaries He sets are not barriers to keep you out, but markers of His protection and order in your life.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 18 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- [the] entrance of6×
- setting/ its4×
- [the] setting of4×
- to/ [the] entrance of1×
- the/ entrance1×
- at the/ entrance1×
- an entrance1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מְב֥וֹא4×
- מְב֣וֹא4×
- מָבוֹא֙1×
- מְבוֹאֽ/וֹ\׃1×
- מְבוֹא֗/וֹ1×
- מְבוֹא֑/וֹ1×
- מְבֹאֽ/וֹ\׃1×
- מְב֤וֹא1×
- מְב֖וֹא1×
- לִ/מְב֣וֹא1×
- הַ/מָּבֽוֹא\׃1×
- בַּ/מָּב֗וֹא1×
Key Verses
-
Judges 1:24
The watchers saw a man come out of the city, and they said to him, “Please show us the entrance into the city, and we will deal kindly with you.”
This verse shows the word used for a physical entry point into a city, highlighting how access to a place could determine safety or judgment.
-
II Kings 16:18
He removed the covered way for the Sabbath that they had built in the house, and the king’s outer entrance to Yahweh’s house, because of the king of Assyria.
Here mavo describes a specific architectural feature of the temple, showing its use for designated royal or sacred pathways within the sanctuary complex.
-
Psalms 50:1
A Psalm by Asaph. The Mighty One, God, Yahweh, speaks, and calls the earth from sunrise to sunset.
In this psalm, the word metaphorically marks the sun's entry into the west, linking God’s sovereignty over creation with the daily cycle of time.
-
Proverbs 8:3
Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, at the entry doors, she cries aloud:
Wisdom is depicted as crying out at these entry points, suggesting that moral guidance is available at every threshold of decision and daily life.