מְרִי (me.ri)
me.ri
Egypt
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 6 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun meri simply means "rebellion" or "rebelliousness." It describes an attitude of open defiance against authority, whether that authority is God, a ruler, or a parent. The word carries the sense of active resistance rather than passive disagreement.
Interestingly, this common term for dissent also appears as a poetic name for Egypt in several biblical passages. In Nehemiah 9 and Job 40:20, for example, the land is called Meri, linking the nation’s historical opposition to Israel with its inherent character of stubbornness. This usage suggests that the political power of Egypt was viewed through the lens of its spiritual resistance.
Translators typically render meri as "rebellion" or "stiff-neckedness," capturing the hardness of heart involved. By using this word for a nation, the biblical authors emphasize that true conflict often stems from a deeper moral posture than mere political strategy.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word meri speaks of more than simple disagreement; it describes an active, stubborn resistance against rightful authority. In the Old Testament, this term captures the hardness of heart that refuses to yield to God’s guidance. It is a reminder that sin often begins not with a single action, but with a posture of defiance that hardens over time.
Yet even when rebellion defines our behavior, God’s character remains constant. Nehemiah 9:17 highlights this tension perfectly. The people appointed a captain to return to bondage in their meri, yet the text immediately declares God is ready to pardon and abundant in loving kindness. This contrast shows that while human rebellion is real, divine mercy is greater.
Your faith journey involves moments where you might feel distant from God’s will. Recognizing the nature of meri helps you identify those stubborn areas in your own life. It invites you to soften your heart, trusting that God’s grace meets you not when you are perfect, but when you are willing to return.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 6 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- rebellion3×
- rebellion/ your1×
- in/ rebellion/ their1×
- [the] rebellion of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מֶרְיְ/ךָ֔1×
- מֶ֔רִי1×
- מְרִי֙1×
- מְרִ֥י1×
- מְרִ֣י1×
- בְּ/מִרְיָ֑/ם1×
Key Verses
-
Deuteronomy 31:27
For I know your rebellion and your stiff neck. Behold, while I am yet alive with you today, you have been rebellious against Yahweh. How much more after my death?
Moses uses this word to predict Israel's future defiance, showing that meri is a persistent pattern of heart attitude rather than a single mistake.
-
Nehemiah 9:17
and refused to obey. They weren’t mindful of your wonders that you did among them, but hardened their neck, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage. But you are a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and didn’t forsake them.
This verse pairs the people's rebellion with God's readiness to pardon, illustrating that divine mercy persists even when human loyalty fails.
-
I Samuel 15:23
For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim. Because you have rejected Yahweh’s word, he has also rejected you from being king.”
Samuel equates rebellion with witchcraft and stubbornness with idolatry, emphasizing that refusing God’s word is a serious spiritual crisis equivalent to worshipping false gods.