מְצֻלָה (me.tsul.lah)
me.tsul.lah
ravine
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun mĕṣûlâ denotes a deep depression in the earth, such as a ravine, basin, or hollow. It appears only once in the entire Old Testament, located in Zechariah 1:8. In this vision, the prophet sees a man standing among myrtle trees situated "in the mĕṣûlâ." The word itself suggests a sunken or enclosed space, contrasting with the open landscape.
Lexical sources indicate that this specific location was likely a well-known landmark near Jerusalem, possibly a dry wadi or a shaded hollow where myrtles thrived. By anchoring the divine vision in a recognizable geographical feature, the text grounds its spiritual message in physical reality. The term highlights how God’s messages often emerge from ordinary, tangible places within the land.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word mĕṣûlâ appears only once in Scripture, found in Zechariah’s night vision. It describes a ravine or deep hollow where myrtle trees grow. This specific location grounds the spiritual encounter in physical reality, showing that God often meets us in ordinary, tangible places within our daily lives.
When you feel like your circumstances are low or enclosed, remember that divine visibility is not limited by geography. The vision occurs in a sunken space, yet it reveals heavenly horses and messages of hope. Your current setting does not restrict where God can speak or act.
This single occurrence reminds us that faithfulness is witnessed even in the shadows of the land. You are invited to look for signs of grace in the familiar landscapes of your own life, trusting that clarity often comes when we pause in the quiet places.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- [were] in the/ hollow1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- בַּ/מְּצֻלָ֑ה1×
Key Verses
-
Zechariah 1:8
“I had a vision in the night, and behold, a man riding on a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in a ravine; and behind him there were red, brown, and white horses.
This is the sole occurrence of the word, anchoring the prophetic vision in a specific geographical landmark near Jerusalem to emphasize God's tangible presence.