Lexical Summary Choreb: Horeb Original Word: חֹרֵב Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Horeb From charab; desolate; Choreb, a (generic) name for the Sinaitic mountains -- Horeb. see HEBREW charab NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom chareb Definition "waste," a mountain in Sinai NASB Translation Horeb (17). Brown-Driver-Briggs חֹרֵב, חוֺרֵב proper name, of a mountain Horeb (waste, desert) — ᵐ5 Χωρηβ (see LagBN 85); אֶלהַֿר הָאֱלֹהִים חֹרֵ֑בָה Exodus 3:1 (E), compare עַד הַר הָאֱלֹהִים חֹרֵב 1 Kings 19:8; הַצּוּר בְּחֹרֵב Exodus 17:6, הַר חוֺרֵב Exodus 33:6 (both E); מֵחֹרֵב, בְּחֹרֵב Deuteronomy 1:2,6,19; Deuteronomy 4:10,15; Deuteronomy 5:2; Deuteronomy 9:8; Deuteronomy 18:16; Deuteronomy 28:69; 1 Kings 8:9; 2Chronicles 5:10; Psalm 106:19; Malachi 3:22; the sacred mountain of the wilderness, no geographical difference from סִינַי discoverable, but synonym of it in E and (especially) D (except poem Deuteronomy 33:2; see סִינַי P). Topical Lexicon Geographical SettingHoreb is repeatedly called “the mountain of God” (Exodus 3:1; 1 Kings 19:8), a solitary massif somewhere in the Sinai wilderness where shepherds could graze their flocks and where a large nation could encamp. Scripture never supplies precise coordinates, yet its arid surroundings, sheer cliffs, and spacious valleys form the backdrop for decisive acts of divine self-disclosure. The barrenness accentuates the contrast between human inability and God’s provision, a theme woven through every Horeb narrative. Horeb and Sinai: One Mountain, Two Names Exodus alternates between the names Horeb and Sinai, while Deuteronomy prefers Horeb and the Chronicler and Malachi follow that convention. The most natural reading treats the two names as interchangeable designations for the same mountain or its broader range. Rather than contradiction, the dual usage serves literary purposes: “Sinai” often highlights the thunderous majesty of revelation; “Horeb” underscores covenant responsibility and subsequent remembrance (Deuteronomy 4:10; Malachi 4:4). Key Redemptive Events at Horeb 1. Moses’ Call (Exodus 3:1–12) “He led the flock … and came to Horeb, the mountain of God” (Exodus 3:1). The burning bush announces the holy presence that will define the site and commissions Moses to deliver Israel. Here divine holiness meets human inadequacy, establishing the paradigm of prophetic vocation. 2. Water from the Rock (Exodus 17:6) “I will stand there before you on the rock at Horeb. And when you strike the rock, water will come out of it.” Physical sustenance flows from divine presence, foreshadowing the spiritual water Christ promises (John 7:37–39). 3. The Covenant and the Ten Words (Deuteronomy 5:2) “The LORD our God made a covenant with us at Horeb.” Israel receives God’s law, the foundation of national identity, worship, and ethics. The ark later houses “the two stone tablets that Moses had placed in it at Horeb” (1 Kings 8:9; 2 Chronicles 5:10). 4. Sin of the Golden Calf (Exodus 33:6; Psalm 106:19) “At Horeb they made a calf and worshiped a metal image.” The same mountain witnesses Israel’s worst apostasy, revealing the need for mediation and atonement—a need ultimately met in Christ. 5. Elijah’s Renewal (1 Kings 19:8-18) After forty days’ journey, Elijah reaches Horeb, where a low whisper follows wind, earthquake, and fire. Prophetic ministry is recalibrated by God’s gentle sovereignty and fresh commission, echoing Moses’ earlier experience and pointing forward to gospel transformation. Horeb in Israel’s Corporate Memory Deuteronomy repeatedly summons the second generation to remember Horeb (Deuteronomy 4:10-15; 9:8; 18:16; 29:1). The mountain functions as historical anchor and moral plumb line. Malachi’s post-exilic call, “Remember the law of My servant Moses … at Horeb” (Malachi 4:4), bridges Old and New Testaments, preparing hearts for the coming of “Elijah” (John the Baptist) and the Messiah. Theological Themes • Revelation: Horeb is the setting for unmistakable theophanies—flame, cloud, voice—teaching that God is both transcendent and immanent. Lessons for Ministry 1. Solitude prepares servants for public mission; both Moses and Elijah encounter God away from crowds. Intertextual Echoes New Testament writers repeatedly allude to Horeb/Sinai. Hebrews 12 contrasts the trembling assembly at Horeb with the festal gathering at “Mount Zion.” Paul, in 1 Corinthians 10:4, identifies the wilderness rock with Christ, underscoring continuity of redemption. Revelation 11 evokes Moses-Elijah imagery, reminding readers that the God of Horeb still vindicates His witnesses. Ongoing Significance Though its exact peak remains debated, Horeb’s theological summit is clear: God reveals, redeems, covenants, disciplines, and sustains. Remembering Horeb today means embracing the God who still speaks through Scripture, satisfies thirsty souls in barren places, and calls His people to faithful worship until the final mountain—the heavenly Zion—is reached. Forms and Transliterations בְּחֹרֵ֑ב בְּחֹרֵ֔ב בְּחֹרֵ֖ב בְּחֹרֵ֣ב בְּחֹרֵֽב׃ בְּחֹרֵב֒ בְחֹרֵב֙ בחרב בחרב׃ וּבְחֹרֵ֥ב ובחרב חֹרֵֽבָה׃ חֹרֵֽב׃ חוֹרֵֽב׃ חורב׃ חרב׃ חרבה׃ מֵֽחֹרֵ֔ב מֵחֹרֵ֗ב מחרב bə·ḥō·rêḇ ḇə·ḥō·rêḇ bechoRev bəḥōrêḇ ḇəḥōrêḇ choRev choRevah ḥō·rê·ḇāh ḥō·rêḇ ḥō·w·rêḇ ḥōrêḇ ḥōrêḇāh ḥōwrêḇ mê·ḥō·rêḇ mechoRev mêḥōrêḇ ū·ḇə·ḥō·rêḇ ūḇəḥōrêḇ uvechoRev vechoRevLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Exodus 3:1 HEB: הַ֥ר הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים חֹרֵֽבָה׃ NAS: and came to Horeb, the mountain KJV: of God, [even] to Horeb. INT: the mountain of God to Horeb Exodus 17:6 Exodus 33:6 Deuteronomy 1:2 Deuteronomy 1:6 Deuteronomy 1:19 Deuteronomy 4:10 Deuteronomy 4:15 Deuteronomy 5:2 Deuteronomy 9:8 Deuteronomy 18:16 Deuteronomy 29:1 1 Kings 8:9 1 Kings 19:8 2 Chronicles 5:10 Psalm 106:19 Malachi 4:4 17 Occurrences |
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