Lexical Summary
midbar: Wilderness, desert
Original Word:מִדְבָּר
Part of Speech:Noun Masculine
Transliteration:midbar
Pronunciation:mid-BAHR
Phonetic Spelling:(mid-bawr')
KJV: desert, south, speech, wilderness
Word Origin:[fromH1696 (דָּבַר - spoke) in the sense of driving]
1. a pasture (i.e. open field, whither cattle are driven)
2. (by implication) a desert
3. (also) speech (including its organs)
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
desert, south, speech, wilderness
Fromdabar in the sense of driving; a pasture (i.e. Open field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert; also speech (including its organs) -- desert, south, speech, wilderness.
see HEBREWdabar
Brown-Driver-Briggs
I. [] , as organ of speech, —
thy mouth is lovelySongs 4:3 "" , , Jerome
eloquium.
II.270 —Deuteronomy 32:10 +; with locativeJoshua 18:12 15t.; constructExodus 15:22 +;1 Kings 19:15; suffixIsaiah 51:3; —
,the pastures of the wilderness put forth green grassJoel 2:22;the pastures of the wilderness drop (fertility)Psalm 65:13;are dried upJeremiah 23:10, compareJeremiah 9:9;Joel 1:19,20.
uninhabited land,wilderness in which is no manJob 38:26; the abode of pelicansPsalm 102:7; wild assesJob 24:5;Jeremiah 2:24; jackalsMalachi 1:3; ostrichesLamentations 4:3;O that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfarers, that I might leave my peopleJeremiah 9:1;better to dwell in a desert land, than with a contentious womanProverbs 21:19;in a desert land, and in a waste howling wildernessDeuteronomy 32:10.
large tracts of such land bearing various names, in certain districts of which there might be towns and cities:let the wilderness and its cities lift up (their voice),the villages that Kedar doth inhabitIsaiah 42:11. There were six cities in the wilderness of JudahJoshua 15:61,62; usually = wilderness of the wanderingsGenesis 14:6;Numbers 14:16,29,32,33 (twice in verse) +, or the great Arabian desertJudges 11:22 +; but may also refer to any otherSongs 3:6;Songs 8:5. Special tracts — (a) of the wilderness of the wandering wereExodus 15:22, Exodus 16:1 +,Exodus 19:1 +,Numbers 13:26 +,Numbers 20:1 +,Psalm 29:8,Numbers 33:8; (b) in West PalestineJudges 1:16;Psalm 63:1 compareJoshua 15:61,1 Samuel 23:24,25,1 Samuel 23:15;1 Samuel 26:2,Genesis 21:14,1 Samuel 24:2, 2Chronicles 20:20, 2Chronicles 20:16,2 Samuel 2:24; (c) in Eastern PalestineDeuteronomy 2:8,2 Kings 3:8,Deuteronomy 2:26.
figurativeand (lest I) make her as a wilderness and set her like a dry landHosea 2:5;have I been a wilderness to Israel ?Jeremiah 2:31.
(√ of following; compare Arabic
IX.become black orbrown, of a colour between black and red; see derivatives; so Fl see below; yet verb in this meaning perhaps denominative from
i.e. having the colour ofdibs).
Topical Lexicon
Overview of Biblical UsageMidbar appears roughly 271 times across the Old Testament and serves as a theological stage where the Lord reveals His character, forms His covenant people, disciplines the wayward, and foreshadows redemptive hope. While commonly rendered “wilderness” or “desert,” the term covers a spectrum from arid waste to pasture-land, united by its absence of settled agriculture and its need for divine provision.
Physical Geography and Topography
Scripture locates multiple midbar regions: the Sinai Peninsula (Exodus 19:1), the northern Arabian expanses (Genesis 16:7), the Negev south of Judah (Judges 1:16), the Wilderness of Zin and Paran (Numbers 13:21;1 Samuel 25:1), the Judean wilderness east of Jerusalem (Psalm 63:1), the Bashan steppe east of the Jordan (Deuteronomy 2:26), and the great Syro-Arabian desert stretching toward Mesopotamia (Isaiah 21:1). These varied settings provide the backdrop for divine encounters, military campaigns, pilgrimage routes, prophetic sign-acts, and flights for refuge.
Setting of Israel’s National Formation
The exodus trajectory moves from Egypt through midbar to Canaan. In the wilderness the newborn nation receives the Law (Exodus 19–24), the tabernacle pattern (Exodus 25–31), priestly consecration (Leviticus 8), census and order (Numbers 1–4), and disciplinary judgments (Numbers 14). Deuteronomy retrospectively interprets the entire forty-year sojourn as a tutorial in covenant faithfulness: “He humbled you and tested you in order to know what was in your heart” (Deuteronomy 8:2).
Place of Divine Revelation
From Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:1) to Elijah at Horeb (1 Kings 19:8-18), midbar serves as a classroom for theophany. The “word of the LORD came” to John the son of Zechariah “in the wilderness” (Luke 3:2), echoing earlier prophetic patterns. Solitude strips away distractions so that God’s voice stands alone.
God’s Provision and Discipline
The wilderness highlights dependence: manna (Exodus 16:31), quail (Numbers 11:31-32), water from rock (Exodus 17:6;Numbers 20:8-11), clothing that did not wear out (Deuteronomy 8:4). The same terrain also becomes the scene of chastening—serpent plague (Numbers 21:6), Kadesh rebellion (Numbers 20:12), and the graves of craving (Numbers 11:34).Hebrews 3–4 reads Israel’s wilderness history as an enduring admonition to enter God’s rest through obedient faith.
Refuge and Solitude for Prophets and Kings
Before ascending the throne, David hid in “the wilderness of Judah” and “the strongholds of En-gedi” (1 Samuel 23:14;1 Samuel 24:1). The midbar sheltered Elijah from Ahab and Jezebel (1 Kings 17:3-6; 19:4), provided respite for the remnant fleeing Babylon (Jeremiah 31:2), and became the abode of John the Baptist clothed in camel hair (Matthew 3:1-4). Withdrawal prepares God’s servants for public ministry.
Prophetic Symbol of Judgment and Restoration
Prophets employ wilderness imagery both negatively and positively. Judgment: cities reduced to a desert (Jeremiah 9:12), Edom turned to burning pitch (Isaiah 34:9-10). Restoration: “I will lead her into the wilderness and speak to her heart” (Hosea 2:14); “The wilderness and dry land will be glad; the desert will rejoice and blossom” (Isaiah 35:1). Thus midbar becomes a hinge of transition: from sin to forgiveness, barrenness to fruitfulness.
Covenant Renewal and Worship without Walls
The tabernacle stood in desert sands, proclaiming that God’s dwelling is not confined to architecture (Exodus 40:34-38). Israel kept Passover in the wilderness (Numbers 9:1-5) and renewed covenant on the plains of Moab (Deuteronomy 29). Stephen later reminded the Sanhedrin of “the congregation in the wilderness” that possessed the living oracles (Acts 7:38).
Messianic and Eschatological Significance
The voice crying “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD” (Isaiah 40:3) achieves initial fulfillment in John the Baptist (John 1:23) and ultimate consummation in Christ’s second advent, when “Every valley will be lifted up” (Isaiah 40:4).Revelation 12 portrays a woman nourished in the wilderness, evoking Exodus motifs for the end-time preservation of God’s people. Jesus, as representative Israel, was “led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted” (Matthew 4:1), overcame where Israel failed, and emerged to announce the kingdom.
Devotional and Spiritual Themes
1. Dependence: Believers learn that “man does not live on bread alone” (Deuteronomy 8:3;Matthew 4:4).
2. Purity and Separation: The scapegoat carried sin “into the wilderness” on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:10), prefiguring Christ who bore sins “outside the camp” (Hebrews 13:11-13).
3. Intimacy: The beloved finds communion “leaning on her beloved” coming up from the wilderness (Song of Solomon 8:5).
4. Hope: Faith anticipates deserts blossoming and streams in the wasteland (Isaiah 43:19).
Representative Passages
Exodus 15:22–25;Numbers 14:33–34;Deuteronomy 32:10;1 Samuel 23:14;Psalm 107:4;Psalm 63:1;Isaiah 35:1-2;Hosea 2:14;Matthew 4:1;Revelation 12:6.
Chronological Survey of Key Occurrences
• Patriarchal era: Hagar at Shur (Genesis 16:7).
• Exodus and Sinai: Red Sea to Kadesh (Exodus 13–17;Numbers 13–14).
• Conquest: Israel crosses the plains of Moab (Joshua 2:1).
• United Monarchy: Saul, David, and the wilderness of Ziph and Maon (1 Samuel 23–26).
• Divided Kingdom: Elijah’s confrontations (1 Kings 17–19).
• Exile and Return: Comfort prophecies ofIsaiah 40, 41, 43.
• Intertestamental/Messianic: John the Baptist’s preaching grounds (Luke 3).
• Apostolic Age: Pauline typology in1 Corinthians 10:1-13.
• Consummation: Desert imagery inRevelation 12, 17, 21.
Summary
Midbar is far more than desolate terrain; it is God’s chosen environment for revelation, testing, protection, and promise. From Genesis to Revelation the wilderness stands as a vivid reminder that the Lord forms His people in unpromising places, sustains them apart from human resources, and transforms barrenness into fertile joy for His own glory.
Forms and Transliterations
בְּמִדְבַּ֖ר בְּמִדְבַּ֣ר בְּמִדְבַּ֤ר בְּמִדְבַּ֥ר בְּמִדְבַּר־ בְמִדְבַּר־ בַ֭מִּדְבָּר בַּֽמִּדְבָּ֗ר בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר בַּמִּדְבָּ֕ר בַּמִּדְבָּ֖ר בַּמִּדְבָּ֗ר בַּמִּדְבָּ֛ר בַּמִּדְבָּ֡ר בַּמִּדְבָּ֣ר בַּמִּדְבָּ֣ר ׀ בַּמִּדְבָּ֥ר בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃ בַּמִּדְבָּר֒ בַּמִּדְבָּר֙ בַמִּדְבָּ֑ר בַמִּדְבָּ֖ר בַמִּדְבָּ֗ר בַמִּדְבָּ֛ר בַמִּדְבָּ֜ר בַמִּדְבָּר֙ במדבר במדבר־ במדבר׃ הֲמִדְבָּ֤ר הַמִּדְבָּ֑ר הַמִּדְבָּ֑רָה הַמִּדְבָּ֔ר הַמִּדְבָּ֔רָה הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר הַמִּדְבָּ֖רָה הַמִּדְבָּ֗ר הַמִּדְבָּ֗רָה הַמִּדְבָּ֙רָה֙ הַמִּדְבָּ֣ר הַמִּדְבָּ֥ר הַמִּדְבָּ֨ר הַמִּדְבָּֽרָה׃ הַמִּדְבָּֽר׃ הַמִּדְבָּר֙ המדבר המדבר׃ המדברה המדברה׃ וּבַמִּדְבָּ֑ר וּבַמִּדְבָּ֖ר וּבַמִּדְבָּר֙ וּמִדְבָּרֵ֖יךְ וּמִמִּדְבָּ֖ר ובמדבר ומדבריך וממדבר כַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר כַּמִּדְבָּ֖ר כַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃ כַמִּדְבָּ֖ר כַמִּדְבָּ֗ר כמדבר כמדבר׃ לְמִדְבַּ֣ר לְמִדְבַּ֥ר לְמִדְבָּ֑ר לַמִּדְבָּ֑ר למדבר מִ֝דְבָּ֗ר מִ֭דְבָּר מִדְבַּ֖ר מִדְבַּ֖רָה מִדְבַּ֣ר מִדְבַּ֣רָה מִדְבַּ֥ר מִדְבַּר־ מִדְבָּ֑ר מִדְבָּ֑רָה מִדְבָּ֔ר מִדְבָּ֔רָה מִדְבָּ֖ר מִדְבָּ֗ר מִדְבָּ֜רָה מִדְבָּ֣ר מִדְבָּֽר׃ מִדְבָּר֙ מִדְבָּרָהּ֙ מִמִּדְבַּ֣ר מִמִּדְבַּ֥ר מִמִּדְבַּר־ מִמִּדְבָּ֑ר מִמִּדְבָּ֣ר מֵֽהַמִּדְבָּ֛ר מֵהַמִּדְבָּר֩ מדבר מדבר־ מדבר׃ מדברה מהמדבר ממדבר ממדבר־ bam·miḏ·bār ḇam·miḏ·bār bammidBar bammiḏbār ḇammiḏbār bə·miḏ·bar bə·miḏ·bar- ḇə·miḏ·bar- bemidBar bəmiḏbar bəmiḏbar- ḇəmiḏbar- chammidBar hă·miḏ·bār ham·miḏ·bā·rāh ham·miḏ·bār hamidBar hămiḏbār hammidBar hammiḏbār hammidBarah hammiḏbārāh kam·miḏ·bār ḵam·miḏ·bār kammidBar kammiḏbār ḵammiḏbār lam·miḏ·bār lammidBar lammiḏbār lə·miḏ·bar lə·miḏ·bār lemidBar ləmiḏbar ləmiḏbār mê·ham·miḏ·bār mehammidBar mêhammiḏbār miḏ·ba·rāh miḏ·bā·rāh miḏ·bar miḏ·bār miḏ·bar- midbar miḏbar miḏbār miḏbar- midBarah miḏbarāh miḏbārāh Midbor mim·miḏ·bar mim·miḏ·bār mim·miḏ·bar- mimidbar mimmiḏbar mimmiḏbār mimmiḏbar- ū·ḇam·miḏ·bār ū·miḏ·bā·rêḵ ū·mim·miḏ·bār ūḇammiḏbār umidbaReich ūmiḏbārêḵ umimidBar ūmimmiḏbār uvammidBar vammidBar Vammidbor vemidbar
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