מִסְפָּר (mis.par)
mis.par
Mispar
N:N-M-PQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N-M-P
Word Overview
The name Mispar identifies a specific individual among the Jewish exiles who returned to Jerusalem under Zerubbabel’s leadership. Listed first in the genealogical record of Ezra 2:2, this person represents the earliest wave of returnees rebuilding their community after the Babylonian captivity.
His identity appears with a slight variation in Nehemiah 7:7, where he is called Mispereth. This difference likely reflects regional pronunciation shifts or scribal traditions between the two historical accounts, yet both texts point to the same figure within the restoration narrative.
The Hebrew root of his name means "number" or "count." Its presence in a list of returning families highlights how the post-exilic community valued precise records and lineage. Each name served as a testament to God’s faithfulness in preserving His people through displacement and return.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Mispar, meaning "number" or "count," appears in the opening verses of Ezra as one of the leaders who returned from exile with Zerubbabel. In a time when families were scattered and identities were fragile, listing his name served a vital purpose: it confirmed that God had preserved His people through the hardship of captivity.
This careful recording reminds us that every individual matters in God’s story. The post-exilic community valued precise lineage not for pride, but to show faithfulness to their heritage and covenant. When you read this list, you see a community rebuilding its life on the foundation of remembered promises.
Even though Mispar is just one name among many, his inclusion highlights how God keeps track of His own. It offers comfort that no one in the body of Christ is forgotten or lost to history. Your place in God’s family is equally secure and known.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Mispar1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מִסְפָּ֥ר1×
Key Verses
-
Ezra 2:2
who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:
Mispar is listed here as a primary leader accompanying Zerubbabel, establishing his role in the initial restoration effort.