מֵידְבָא (me.de.va)
me.de.va
Medeba
N:N--LQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 5 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--L
Word Overview
Medeba is a proper noun referring to an ancient city in Moab, situated roughly four miles southwest of Heshbon. The name itself carries the meaning "water of rest," a fitting description for a settlement that likely relied on local springs or wells for survival in the arid landscape. In the biblical narrative, this location serves as a key geographical marker within the territory allocated to the tribe of Reuben.
The city appears five times across Scripture, most notably in Joshua and Numbers, where it is listed among the towns assigned to Reuben. It also features in Isaiah, where its status as a place of rest or stability is contrasted with the coming judgment on Moab. The sources note that Medeba was not just a passive residence but a strategic meeting-place for neighboring groups like the Ammonites, highlighting its role as a crossroads in the region’s political and social life.
Its enduring presence is suggested by references to it being still extant in later periods, indicating its long-term significance. The word does not carry abstract theological weight but anchors the biblical story in real, tangible geography, reminding readers that God’s promises were fulfilled in specific places with water, walls, and people.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
Medeba appears in Scripture as a real place, not just a symbol. It was a city in Moab, known for its water sources and strategic location. When God assigned land to the tribe of Reuben, Medeba was part of that inheritance (Joshua 13:9). This shows that God’s promises were specific and grounded in actual geography.
Even when judgment came upon Moab, including Medeba (Isaiah 15:2), the Bible does not hide this history. Instead, it records how nations rose and fell according to their relationship with God. For us today, these details remind us that faith is lived out in real places, with real people, facing real challenges.
God’s word remains true whether a city stands or falls. We can trust that He guides history and cares for His people, just as He did for Reuben and Moab alike.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 5 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Medeba5×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מֵידְבָֽא\׃1×
- מֵידְבָ֖א1×
- מֵידְבָ֑א1×
- מֵֽידְבָא֙1×
- מֵֽידְבָֽא\׃1×
Key Verses
-
Joshua 13:9
from Aroer, that is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, and the city that is in the middle of the valley, and all the plain of Medeba to Dibon;
This verse places Medeba within the specific boundary given to the tribe of Reuben, showing God’s precise fulfillment of His promise regarding land inheritance.
-
Isaiah 15:2
They have gone up to Bayith, and to Dibon, to the high places, to weep. Moab wails over Nebo and over Medeba. Baldness is on all of their heads. Every beard is cut off.
Here Medeba is listed among cities mourning judgment, illustrating how even places once blessed by God’s allocation can face consequences for their alignment with pride or rebellion.
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Numbers 21:30
We have shot at them. Heshbon has perished even to Dibon. We have laid waste even to Nophah, Which reaches to Medeba.”
Medeba marks the extent of Israel’s victory over Sihon, serving as a geographical boundary that confirms God’s power in battle and His provision of territory.