מִפְקָד (miph.qad)
miph.qad
Muster (Gate)
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun miphqad refers to a mustering, an appointment, or an assigned place. Its core sense involves gathering people for a specific purpose, such as a census or military muster, which explains why it is often translated as "number" in contexts involving population counts. The word appears four times in the Old Testament, primarily in historical books like Nehemiah and Chronicles.
In Nehemiah 3:32, the text mentions the area near the Mustering Gate, linking the term to a physical location associated with these gatherings. This usage highlights how administrative or military organization could define urban geography. The sources indicate that while the root relates to visiting or appointing, the noun specifically captures the result of that action: the assembled group or the designated site for such activity.
Translators typically render miphqad as "muster" or "number," depending on whether the context emphasizes the people being counted or the location associated with them. This distinction helps readers understand the administrative precision of ancient Israelite society, where order and assignment were central to civic and religious life.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word miphqad points to a specific place or appointment where people are gathered for order and purpose. In ancient Israel, this often meant a gate where citizens were mustered for defense or counted for civic administration. It reflects a society that valued structure, ensuring everyone had their assigned role within the community.
For your faith life, this concept reminds us that God is not a God of confusion but of order. Just as Nehemiah’s workers repaired walls near the Mustering Gate, we are called to build our lives with intentionality. Our spiritual gifts and responsibilities are not random; they are assigned by a loving Creator who knows exactly where we fit in His larger plan.
When you feel like your life lacks direction, remember that God has appointed places for us. We do not wander aimlessly. Instead, we find our security in knowing that every step, every task, and every gathering is under His sovereign oversight. This brings peace to the anxious heart.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- [the] muster of2×
- the/ muster1×
- by/ [the] appointment of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מִפְקַד\־2×
- הַ/מִּפְקָ֔ד1×
- בְּ/מִפְקַד֙1×
Key Verses
-
Nehemiah 3:31
After him, Malchijah, one of the goldsmiths to the house of the temple servants, and of the merchants, made repairs opposite the gate of Hammiphkad and to the ascent of the corner.
This verse identifies a physical location, the gate of Hammiphkad, showing how administrative mustering defined Jerusalem's geography and daily life.
-
II Chronicles 31:13
Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah were overseers under the hand of Conaniah and Shimei his brother, by the appointment of Hezekiah the king and Azariah the ruler of God’s house.
Here the term refers to an official appointment or overseer role established by King Hezekiah, highlighting the word’s use in religious administration.
-
I Chronicles 21:5
Joab gave the sum of the census of the people to David. All those of Israel were one million one hundred thousand men who drew a sword; and in Judah were four hundred seventy thousand men who drew a sword.
This occurrence links the word to the census count, emphasizing its meaning as a recorded number of people ready for service.