מִזְרֶה (miz.reh)
miz.reh
pitchfork
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun mizreh refers specifically to a pitchfork, an agricultural tool characterized by multiple prongs. Brown-Driver-Briggs notes that this implement typically had six tines and was designed for handling loose material during the winnowing process. It is not a general term for farming equipment but points to a specific action involving lifting and turning chaff or grain.
This word appears in only two verses, both within prophetic literature: Jeremiah 15:7 and Isaiah 41:16. In these contexts, the image of the mizreh is used metaphorically to describe divine judgment. God uses the tool to separate the valuable from the worthless, scattering the chaff before the wind. The concrete imagery grounds abstract theological concepts in the daily reality of ancient agrarian life.
The rarity of the term highlights its symbolic power. By invoking a specific piece of harvest equipment, the prophets emphasize the thoroughness and finality of the separation process. The mizreh serves as an instrument of sorting, ensuring that what remains is distinct from what is cast away.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word mizreh describes a specific agricultural tool, a pitchfork with multiple prongs used to turn and separate chaff from grain during harvest. In ancient Israel, this was not just a piece of farm equipment but a symbol of thorough sorting. When the prophets use this image, they are describing a process that is both precise and unavoidable. It reminds us that God’s work in our lives can feel like a winnowing, where what is essential is kept and what is empty or harmful is set aside.
While the imagery in Jeremiah 15:7 speaks of judgment and separation, it also points to a reality where truth is distinguished from falsehood. For believers today, this word offers comfort in times of confusion. It suggests that God sees clearly what we might miss, separating our true character from our distractions. This process, though sometimes difficult, ensures that what remains is pure and aligned with His purpose.
Ultimately, the mizreh highlights the care involved in divine judgment. It is not random destruction but a deliberate act of preservation. We can trust that God’s sorting is always aimed at restoring what is valuable. This perspective invites us to rest in the knowledge that our lives are being refined with intention and love.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- with/ a winnowing scoop1×
- and/ with the/ pitchfork1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וּ/בַ/מִּזְרֶֽה\׃1×
- בְּ/מִזְרֶ֖ה1×
Key Verses
-
Jeremiah 15:7
I have winnowed them with a fan in the gates of the land. I have bereaved them of children. I have destroyed my people. They didn’t return from their ways.
This verse uses the imagery of winnowing to depict God’s judgment on His people, emphasizing the finality of separation in the gates of the land.
-
Isaiah 30:24
The oxen likewise and the young donkeys that till the ground will eat savory feed, which has been winnowed with the shovel and with the fork.
Here the text mentions a fork used to winnow feed for animals, showing the tool’s everyday role in providing sustenance after separation.