מַכְבִּיר (makh.bir)

The Hebrew verb makhbir appears only once in the Old Testament, found in Job 36:9 where Elihu describes how God corrects people through suffering. It is the Hiphil participle of the root kavar, meaning "to be many" or "to be abundant." In this specific context, it conveys the idea that God’s discipline is not a single, isolated event but an abundance of instruction. The image suggests a pouring out of correction, emphasizing the volume and persistence of divine teaching rather than its severity.

Because the word occurs in such a narrow range, its meaning is tightly bound to Elihu’s argument about God’s pedagogical methods. It highlights that correction comes in many forms and frequencies. Translators often render this as "abundantly" or "in abundance," capturing the sense of quantity inherent in the root. This usage distinguishes it from verbs that might imply harshness; instead, makhbir focuses on the plentiful nature of God’s engagement with humanity, offering a perspective where discipline is seen as a generous provision of wisdom rather than mere punishment.