4094. madqarah

Lexical Summary

madqarah: Wound, Piercing

Original Word: מַדְקָרָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: madqarah
Pronunciation: mad-kaw-RAW
Phonetic Spelling: (mad-kaw-raw')
KJV: piercing
Word Origin: [from H1856 (דָּקַר - pierce me through)]

1. a wound

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

piercing

From daqar; a wound -- piercing.

see HEBREW daqar

Brown-Driver-Briggs

[מַדְקָרָה] noun feminine piercing, stab, thrust, only plural construct כְּמַדְקְרוֺת חָ֑רֶב Proverbs 12:18 like thrusts of a sword, simile of rash speaking.

דַּר see דרר.

דֹּר see דור.

דרא (√ of following compare Arabic repel).

Topical Lexicon

Canonical Appearance

Proverbs 12:18 records the sole biblical use of מַדְקָרָה: “There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing”.

Literary Imagery and Meaning in Context

1. Weaponized Speech
• The term paints an arresting picture of words acting as lethal blades. Solomon contrasts two tongues: one lacerates, the other mends. The thrusts underscore the instantaneous, penetrating harm produced by reckless talk (compare Psalms 57:4; James 3:5-8).
2. Sword Motif in Wisdom Literature
• Elsewhere swords symbolize judgment (Genesis 3:24), violence (Psalms 144:1), and spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:17). In Proverbs 12:18 the sword motif exposes the moral weight of everyday conversation, elevating speech to the realm of life-and-death ethics.

Historical and Cultural Background

Ancient Near Eastern warfare relied on short swords designed for quick, repeated stabs in close combat. The inspired proverb borrows that familiar tactical image to warn Israel’s community that unchecked language can achieve a similarly rapid succession of hidden wounds within households, markets, and courts (Proverbs 17:14; 18:21).

Theological Insights

1. Human Accountability
• Words reveal the heart (Matthew 12:34-37). מַדְקָרָה affirms that malicious speech is not a trivial lapse but a tangible breach of covenant love (Leviticus 19:16-18).
2. Wisdom and Restoration
• The contrast “but the tongue of the wise brings healing” frames every conversation as an opportunity either to imitate the destroyer or to mirror the divine Physician (Exodus 15:26; Luke 4:18-19).
3. Foreshadowing the Living Word
• While human tongues may pierce, the incarnate Word allows His own side to be pierced (John 19:34) to secure ultimate healing (Isaiah 53:5). Proverbs anticipates the gospel trajectory from wounding words to redemptive wounds.

Practical Ministry Applications

• Pastoral Counseling: Diagnose relational breakdowns by tracing repeated “sword thrust” patterns; call for confession and restorative speech (Ephesians 4:29-32).
• Preaching and Teaching: Illustrate the destructive speed of gossip with the imagery of rapid stabs; contrast with Christ-like edification (Colossians 4:6).
• Discipleship: Memorize Proverbs 12:18 alongside Psalms 19:14 to cultivate Spirit-guided communication.

Related Biblical Themes

Rashness (Proverbs 29:20), Gossip (Proverbs 16:28), Healing Words (Proverbs 16:24), Spiritual Swords (Hebrews 4:12), Peacemaking (Matthew 5:9).

Summary

מַדְקָרָה illumines the gravity of speech by likening reckless words to lethal sword thrusts. Its solitary appearance is sufficient to summon believers to sanctified tongues that, under wisdom’s governance, transform potential wounds into channels of divine healing.

Forms and Transliterations

כְּמַדְקְר֣וֹת כמדקרות kə·maḏ·qə·rō·wṯ kemadkeRot kəmaḏqərōwṯ

Englishman's Concordance

Proverbs 12:18
HEB: יֵ֣שׁ בּ֭וֹטֶה כְּמַדְקְר֣וֹת חָ֑רֶב וּלְשׁ֖וֹן
NAS: is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword,
KJV: that speaketh like the piercings of a sword:
INT: There speaks the thrusts of a sword the tongue

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 4094
1 Occurrence

kə·maḏ·qə·rō·wṯ — 1 Occ.