Lexical Summary madregah: Step, stair, ascent Original Word: מַדְרֵגָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance stair, steep place From an unused root meaning to step; properly, a step; by implication, a steep or inaccessible place -- stair, steep place. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom an unused word Definition steep place, a steep NASB Translation steep pathway (1), steep pathways (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs מַדְרֵגָה noun feminine steep place, steep, — ׳מ Songs 2:14 ("" סֶ֫לַע), plural הַמַּדְרֵגוֺת Ezekiel 38:20 ("" ההרים and חומה). Topical Lexicon Geographical ImageryThe noun מַדְרֵגָה evokes the image of a precipitous ascent, a narrow ledge or pathway cut into rugged terrain. In the Ancient Near East such routes wound along cliffs and mountain faces, providing both refuge and vulnerability. Shepherds, travelers, and soldiers all relied on these “steep places” to move through otherwise inaccessible regions. Canonical Occurrences Song of Songs 2:14 These two settings—one a lyrical love song, the other an apocalyptic oracle—frame מַדְרֵגָה within contrasting moods of tenderness and cataclysm. Song of Songs 2:14: Intimacy on the Heights “ ‘My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hiding places on the mountainside, let Me see your face, let Me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.’ ” (Song of Songs 2:14) Here the mountainside becomes a sanctuary where the beloved seeks and is sought. The steep place is a secluded perch, symbolic of: • Security: Elevated ground protects the dove from predators, picturing the safety found in covenant love (compare Psalm 18:2). Ezekiel 38:20: Judgment upon the High Places “ ‘The fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the beasts of the field, every creature that moves along the ground, and every man on the face of the earth will tremble at My presence. The mountains will be thrown down, the cliffs will crumble, and every wall will fall to the ground.’ ” (Ezekiel 38:20) When Gog’s invasion is confronted by divine wrath, the very topography convulses: mountains collapse and steep paths give way. In this context מַדְרֵגָה embodies: • Total upheaval: Even the remote and elevated are not exempt from judgment (Amos 9:2-3). Theological Significance 1. Accessibility to God: The steep place that once concealed the dove is the same terrain to which the Bridegroom ascends. The Lord meets His people even in their hidden, precarious places (Psalm 139:7-10). Ministry Application • Pastoral Care: Encourage believers who feel isolated in life’s “steep places” that the Beloved seeks them there; spiritual retreats can become meeting points with Christ. Christological Insight Jesus often withdrew to mountains to pray (Mark 6:46) and was finally lifted up on the mount of crucifixion. The One who calls from the “hiding places on the mountainside” also bore the quake of divine judgment, ensuring that steep pathways become roads of grace for all who believe (Hebrews 12:24-26). Practical Reflection Where is your מַדְרֵגָה today—a secluded ledge of communion or a crumbling refuge of self-reliance? Hear the Bridegroom’s voice amid the heights, and let every lofty thing bow before the King who makes even steep places plain (Isaiah 42:16). Forms and Transliterations הַמַּדְרֵג֔וֹת הַמַּדְרֵגָ֔ה המדרגה המדרגות ham·maḏ·rê·ḡāh ham·maḏ·rê·ḡō·wṯ hammadreGah hammaḏrêḡāh hammadreGot hammaḏrêḡōwṯLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Songs 2:14 HEB: הַסֶּ֗לַע בְּסֵ֙תֶר֙ הַמַּדְרֵגָ֔ה הַרְאִ֙ינִי֙ אֶת־ NAS: In the secret place of the steep pathway, Let me see KJV: in the secret [places] of the stairs, let me see INT: of the rock the secret of the steep see your form Ezekiel 38:20 2 Occurrences |
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