עַכְבָּר (akh.bar)
akh.bar
mouse
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 akhbar refers simply to a mouse, a small rodent familiar in the ancient Near East. It appears six times in the Old Testament, primarily within lists of unclean animals in Leviticus 11:29 and Isaiah 66:17, as well as in the narrative of 1 Samuel 6:4-5 where the Philistines send gold replicas of mice as a guilt offering to Yahweh.
In these contexts, the mouse is not celebrated but treated as a source of ritual impurity or a symbol of defilement. Its inclusion in the Levitical law highlights the boundary between clean and unclean creatures, while its appearance in Samuel underscores the belief that even small pests could be instruments of divine judgment or signs of spiritual corruption.
The word’s usage reflects an ancient worldview where physical cleanliness was tied to spiritual holiness. By marking the mouse as unclean, the text reinforces the idea that God cares about both moral and ritual purity, urging His people to maintain separation from what is considered ceremonially defiling in their daily lives.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word for mouse in Hebrew appears in contexts that highlight separation and holiness. In Leviticus, it is listed among unclean creatures, marking a boundary between what is pure and what is not. This distinction was not about the animal’s moral character but about maintaining ritual cleanliness as a sign of devotion to God.
In 1 Samuel, golden mice are sent as offerings by the Philistines, acknowledging that even small pests could be instruments of divine judgment. This shows that nothing in creation escapes God’s notice or authority. The text reminds us that God cares about every detail of our lives, including the seemingly minor aspects.
For believers today, this word invites reflection on how we maintain spiritual purity. Just as ancient Israelites were called to avoid unclean things, Christians are encouraged to live in ways that honor God, avoiding what defiles both body and spirit. This call to holiness is rooted in love for God and respect for His design.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 6 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ the/ mouse2×
- mice/ your1×
- mice of1×
- and/ [the] mice of1×
- [the] mice of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- עַכְבְּרֵ֣י2×
- עַכְבְּרֵי/כֶ֗ם1×
- וְ/עַכְבְּרֵ֣י1×
- וְ/הָ/עַכְבָּ֖ר1×
- וְ/הָ/עַכְבָּ֑ר1×
Key Verses
-
Leviticus 11:29
“‘These are they which are unclean to you among the creeping things that creep on the earth: the weasel, the rat, any kind of great lizard,
This verse lists the mouse among unclean creeping things, establishing its role in ritual purity laws.
-
I Samuel 6:4
Then they said, “What should the trespass offering be which we shall return to him?” They said, “Five golden tumors and five golden mice, for the number of the lords of the Philistines; for one plague was on you all, and on your lords.
The Philistines send golden mice as a guilt offering, recognizing them as symbols of divine plague.
-
Isaiah 66:17
“Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves to go to the gardens, following one in the middle, eating pig’s meat, abominable things, and the mouse, they shall come to an end together,” says Yahweh.
Eating the mouse is grouped with abominable practices, showing its association with spiritual defilement in prophetic warning.