Lexical Summary makmar: Net, Snare Original Word: מַכְמָר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance net Or mikmor {mik-more'}; from kamar in the sense of blackening by heat; a (hunter's) net (as dark from concealment) -- net. see HEBREW kamar Brown-Driver-Briggs מִכְמָר noun [masculine] net, snare, bringing an animal to its fall, ׳כְּתוֺא מ Isaiah 51:20 like an antelope of (in) a net or snare (compare II. חֵרֶם, II. רֶשֶׁת). [מַכְמֹר] noun [masculine] net, snare (see foregoing) — plural suffix יִמְּלוּ בְּמַכְמֹרָיו רְשָׁעִים Psalm 141:10; so Gr Che Psalm 140:11 (במכמרות for ᵑ0 בְּמַהֲמֹרוֺת, see). Topical Lexicon Imagery and Cultural Background מַכְמָר (makmār) designates a woven net or snare used by hunters and fowlers. In the agrarian and pastoral life of ancient Israel, such nets were common tools for securing food or subduing game. The construction—interlaced cords stretched over a frame or laid on the ground—evoked both invisibility and inevitability: once an unsuspecting creature stepped in, escape was virtually impossible. Scripture seizes on that cultural familiarity to illustrate spiritual realities of entrapment and divine deliverance. Occurrences in the Old Testament Psalm 141:10 and Isaiah 51:20 contain the word’s only attestations in the canon. The contexts differ, yet together they trace a thematic line from enemy plotting to covenant chastening: Theological Themes 1. Retributive Justice. In Psalm 141 the net becomes an instrument of God’s moral order. Those who devise snares for the upright discover that their devices recoil upon themselves (compare Proverbs 26:27). The petition does not seek personal vengeance but trusts Yahweh to uphold righteousness. Progression to New-Covenant Fulfillment Christ entered a world beset by nets of accusation, legalism, and demonic hostility. Though plotted against, He “committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth” (1 Peter 2:22). The resurrection proclaims the ultimate reversal: death’s net could not hold Him (Acts 2:24). Consequently, all who are “in Christ” share that deliverance (Romans 8:1–2), turning the metaphor into a gospel paradigm—captives set free, enemies ensnared by their own malice (Colossians 2:15). Applications for Discipleship and Ministry • Vigilance in Prayer. Like David, believers petition God to expose hidden traps—whether ethical compromises, addictive patterns, or doctrinal errors—and to grant safe passage. Historical Reflections Second Temple literature and the Dead Sea Scrolls employ net imagery for eschatological judgment and the snares of Belial. Such usage likely drew from the canonical passages, confirming the enduring resonance of מַכְמָר as a symbol of both peril and vindication. Intertextual Echoes While מַכְמָר itself appears only twice, related Hebrew terms for nets and snares (such as רֶשֶׁת, פַּח, מוֹקֵשׁ) populate the Psalms and Prophets, forming a tapestry of warnings against idolatry, moral compromise, and enemy plots. Within that tapestry, מַכְמָר supplies a vivid, tactile snapshot of total entanglement—heightening appreciation for every subsequent declaration that the Lord “sets the prisoners free” (Psalm 146:7). Conclusion The sparse usage of מַכְמָר intensifies its impact. Whether highlighting the poet’s plea for moral order or the prophet’s lament over national collapse, the net serves as a powerful emblem of God’s sovereign governance: He allows snares, overrules them, and ultimately snaps them asunder for His chosen. To read these texts devotionally is to enter the tension between present entrapment and promised emancipation—assurance that every cord must yield to the One who came “to proclaim liberty to the captives” (Luke 4:18). Forms and Transliterations בְמַכְמֹרָ֣יו במכמריו מִכְמָ֑ר מכמר ḇə·maḵ·mō·rāw ḇəmaḵmōrāw michMar miḵ·mār miḵmār vemachmoRavLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Psalm 141:10 HEB: יִפְּל֣וּ בְמַכְמֹרָ֣יו רְשָׁעִ֑ים יַ֥חַד NAS: fall into their own nets, While KJV: fall into their own nets, whilst that I withal INT: fall nets the wicked safely Isaiah 51:20 2 Occurrences |
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