Lexical Summary mekunah or mekonah: Base, Foundation, Platform Original Word: מְכֻנָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance base The same as mkownah; a spot -- base. see HEBREW mkownah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originthe same as mekonah, q.v. Topical Lexicon Definition and Semantics מְכֻנָה (mekunah) signifies a fixed stand, pedestal, or base—an intentional resting place prepared to support an object. Its single occurrence highlights a distinct, concrete image rather than a broad conceptual field, suggesting something deliberately fashioned, secure, and unmoving. Old Testament Usage The word appears only in Zechariah 5:11, where the angel explains that the ephah holding personified Wickedness will be carried to Shinar “and there it will be set on its pedestal.” The form is unique, but the idea of a prepared base echoes broader Old Testament themes: the silver sockets under the Tabernacle’s boards (Exodus 26:19), the bronze bases of Solomon’s Temple lavers (1 Kings 7:27), and the stone foundation stones of Zion (Isaiah 28:16). In each case a base provides permanence, visibility, and symbolic weight. Prophetic Context in Zechariah 5:11 Zechariah 5:5-11 contrasts two realities: God’s restored people in Jerusalem and the systemic rebellion embodied in the flying ephah. Wickedness is not merely dispersed; it is expatriated to Shinar—ancient Babylon—where a house is built for it, and it is “set there on its pedestal”. The pedestal implies institutionalization: evil is granted a shrine, yet it is also confined, awaiting judgment. The vision reassures the returned exiles that covenant impurity will not be allowed to lodge in the restored community; instead, it will be isolated to the realm historically associated with defiance against the Most High (Genesis 11:2-9; Daniel 1:2). Historical Background and Cultural Setting Shinar evokes both the Tower of Babel and the Neo-Babylonian empire that had recently fallen to the Persians who now governed Zechariah’s audience. Erecting a pedestal there recalls Mesopotamian ziggurats staffed by cult images. Wickedness, personified as a woman, occupies the ephah like an idol awaiting enshrinement. The prophet leverages imagery familiar to a post-exilic community still scarred by Babylonian captivity, underscoring that the source of their former oppression will ultimately contain its own corruption. Theological Significance 1. Divine Sovereignty over Evil: By ordering a special base for Wickedness, God limits and localizes what seems rampant, demonstrating that in His providence even rebellion is placed “on a leash.” Ministry and Practical Application • Call to Discernment: The world persistently erects pedestals for idolatry in commerce, entertainment, and ideology. Believers must recognize modern expressions of Shinar and refuse to grant them standing in the heart (1 John 5:21). Related Biblical Themes and Cross References Genesis 11:1-9; Isaiah 14:3-23; Jeremiah 50-51; Daniel 4:30-31; Zechariah 3:1-5; Matthew 24:15; 1 Corinthians 3:10-15; Revelation 17-18. Forms and Transliterations מְכֻנָתָֽהּ׃ מכנתה׃ mə·ḵu·nā·ṯāh mechunaTah məḵunāṯāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Zechariah 5:11 HEB: שָּׁ֖ם עַל־ מְכֻנָתָֽהּ׃ ס KJV: and set there upon her own base. INT: there her own base 1 Occurrence |
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