מַחֲבֵא (ma.cha.ve)
ma.cha.ve
hiding-place; refuge
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 maḥăḇēʾ denotes a hiding place or refuge, appearing only twice in the Old Testament. Its root relates to concealing or covering, pointing to a physical location where one can remain unseen and safe from danger.
In 1 Samuel 23:26, it describes the rugged terrain of the wilderness where Saul’s forces struggled to locate David. Isaiah 32:2 uses the term metaphorically for a shelter against wind and rain, symbolizing protection provided by just leadership. The word emphasizes security found in concealment rather than open confrontation.
Though rare, this term highlights a recurring biblical theme: God provides places of safety for those who seek refuge in Him. It reminds readers that even in times of pursuit or distress, there exists a hidden sanctuary offered by divine care.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word maḥăḇēʾ points to a hidden sanctuary, a place where one can step out of sight and find safety from immediate danger. In the ancient world, rugged terrain offered physical cover, but the text invites us to see this as more than just geography. It reflects a deeper truth about security: sometimes the best response to overwhelming pressure is not confrontation, but finding the shelter that has been provided.
Isaiah 32:2 expands this idea beautifully by describing a leader who becomes a hiding place from the wind and a covert from the storm. This shifts the focus from mere survival to the character of those who guide us. We are reminded that true protection often looks like quiet stability rather than loud victory. When life feels chaotic, we can look for these steady presences or, more deeply, trust in the divine care that offers rest even when the world is restless.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ hiding places1×
- like/ a hiding place of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- כְּ/מַֽחֲבֵא\־1×
- הַ/מַּֽחֲבֹאִים֙1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 32:2
A man shall be as a hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the storm, as streams of water in a dry place, as the shade of a large rock in a weary land.
This verse uses the term metaphorically to describe righteous leadership as a shelter against life's storms, linking safety to moral character.
-
I Samuel 23:23
See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hides himself; and come again to me with certainty, and I will go with you. It shall happen, if he is in the land, that I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.”
Here the word refers to the physical terrain where David concealed himself, highlighting how God used the landscape to protect His chosen one from Saul.