מִדְבָּר (mid.bar)
mid.bar
mouth; wilderness; Wilderness (of Sinai)
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 224 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun midbar primarily denotes a wilderness or uncultivated land, but its root meaning is "mouth." This linguistic connection suggests an open space where sound travels freely, much like a mouth that speaks. In the Old Testament, this word describes vast tracts of uninhabited terrain, often used for grazing flocks rather than settled agriculture. It appears 224 times, featuring prominently in Exodus and Numbers as the setting for Israel’s journey.
While "wilderness" is the standard translation, the term carries pastoral overtones. The sources note that these areas served as pastureland, implying a place of sustenance rather than mere desolation. This duality allows midbar to function figuratively, representing places of testing or divine encounter. For instance, Isaiah uses the word to describe God making a way in the wasteland (Isaiah 43:19), transforming barren ground into a source of life.
Translators must distinguish between the physical landscape and its theological weight. The midbar is not just empty space; it is the stage for covenant history. When Israel wanders there, they leave behind the security of Egypt for dependence on God’s provision. The word captures both the harsh reality of uninhabited land and the profound spiritual significance attached to it in biblical narrative.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word midbar describes a place beyond the boundaries of settled life. It is open land where flocks graze and where human structures do not reach. This setting often feels empty or harsh, yet it serves as the stage for some of the most significant moments in Scripture. God meets Moses there, provides manna for Israel, and speaks through the silence.
For your own life, this word offers a gentle reassurance. When you feel removed from the comfort of familiar routines or the security of established plans, you are not abandoned. The wilderness is not a place of punishment but a space for dependence. It is where God often reveals His presence most clearly, turning barren ground into a pasture for the soul.
Consider how Isaiah envisions this transformation. He promises that God will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert (Isaiah 43:19). This imagery invites you to trust that even in seasons of uncertainty, provision and guidance are present. You can find hope in knowing that God’s care is not limited to the cultivated fields of success but extends into the open spaces of your journey.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 224 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- in the/ wilderness98×
- the/ wilderness31×
- in/ [the] wilderness of20×
- [the] wilderness of19×
- the/ wilderness/ towards11×
- [the] wilderness11×
- from/ [the] wilderness of8×
- a wilderness6×
- like the/ wilderness3×
- and/ in the/ wilderness3×
- wilderness2×
- from/ the/ wilderness2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- בַּ/מִּדְבָּ֑ר22×
- בַּ/מִּדְבָּֽר\׃19×
- בַּ/מִּדְבָּ֔ר16×
- מִדְבַּ֥ר9×
- בַּ/מִּדְבָּר֙9×
- מִדְבַּר\־8×
- בְּ/מִדְבַּ֥ר8×
- הַ/מִּדְבָּֽר\׃7×
- הַ/מִּדְבָּ֖ר7×
- הַ/מִּדְבָּ֔ר6×
- בַּ/מִּדְבָּ֗ר6×
- בַּ/מִּדְבָּ֖ר6×
Key Verses
-
Exodus 3:1
Now Moses was keeping the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the back of the wilderness, and came to God’s mountain, to Horeb.
This verse establishes the wilderness as the specific location where God reveals His name and calls Moses to leadership, marking it as a place of divine encounter rather than mere exile.
-
Exodus 16:14
When the dew that lay had gone, behold, on the surface of the wilderness was a small round thing, small as the frost on the ground.
Here the word describes the physical ground upon which manna appears, highlighting how God provides daily sustenance in an environment that naturally lacks resources.
-
Genesis 21:14
Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread and a container of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder; and gave her the child, and sent her away. She departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.
This occurrence shows the wilderness as a place of vulnerability for Hagar and Ishmael, where human desperation meets God’s providential care through a well of water.
-
Exodus 15:22
Moses led Israel onward from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water.
The narrative uses this term to describe the immediate aftermath of crossing the Red Sea, illustrating how the journey into the unknown begins with a test of trust when resources seem absent.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Hebrew word midbar mean?
Why is the wilderness important in the Bible?
How is midbar different from other words for desert?
Every Occurrence (224 verses across 26 books)
Genesis 7 verses
and the Horites in their Mount Seir, to El Paran, which is by the wilderness.
Genesis 16:7Yahweh’s angel found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain on the way to Shur.
Genesis 21:14Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread and a container of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her…
Genesis 21:20God was with the boy, and he grew. He lived in the wilderness, and as he grew up, he became an archer.
Genesis 21:21He lived in the wilderness of Paran. His mother got a wife for him out of the land of Egypt.
Genesis 36:24These are the children of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah. This is Anah who found the hot springs in the wilderness, as he fed…
Genesis 37:22Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood. Throw him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but lay no hand on him”—that he…