4722. Maqheloth

Lexical Summary

Maqheloth: Makheloth

Original Word: מַקְהֵלת
Part of Speech: Proper Name Feminine
Transliteration: Maqheloth
Pronunciation: mah-keh-LOTH
Phonetic Spelling: (mak-hay-loth')
KJV: Makheloth
NASB: Makheloth
Word Origin: [plural of H4721 (מַקהֵל מַקהֵלָה - congregations) (feminine)]

1. assemblies
2. Makheloth, a place in the Desert

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

Makheloth

Plural of maqhel (feminine); assemblies; Makheloth, a place in the Desert -- Makheloth.

see HEBREW maqhel

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from the same as qahal
Definition
"place of assembly," a place in the desert
NASB Translation
Makheloth (2).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

מַקְהֵלֹת proper name, of a location (place of assembly); — station of Israel in Exodus. Numbers 33:25,26 (P); ᵐ5 Μακηλωθ.

Topical Lexicon

Overview

Makkeheloth (Strong’s H4722) designates one of the desert encampments recorded in the detailed travel log of Israel’s exodus from Egypt (Numbers 33:25-26). Though mentioned only twice, the site contributes to the inspired itinerary that underscores God’s daily guidance and covenant faithfulness during the wilderness years.

Location and Geography

• Scripture places Makkeheloth between Haradah and Tahath in the sequence of stations that trace a broad south-to-north movement through the Sinai wilderness.
• No incontrovertible archaeological identification has yet been made, but its association with neighboring sites suggests a position in the central or north-central Sinai, possibly in proximity to wadis that could sustain a temporary gathering of the nation.
• The topography implied by the name (“assemblies” or “gatherings”) points to an open area large enough to accommodate the tents of hundreds of thousands, much like other staging points where the camp arrayed itself by tribes around the Tent of Meeting.

Biblical Narrative Setting

Numbers 33 functions as a sacred travel diary dictated by Moses at God’s command (Numbers 33:2). Each stop, including Makkeheloth, serves at least three narrative purposes:

1. It authenticates the historicity of Israel’s journey through a verifiable, sequential route.
2. It highlights God’s provision of places to camp (“resting places” in Numbers 33:1) even in barren terrain.
3. It prepares the new generation to rehearse and remember the mighty acts of the Lord before they enter Canaan.

The surrounding context is notably terse:
• “They set out from Haradah and camped at Makheloth.” (Numbers 33:25)
• “They set out from Makheloth and camped at Tahath.” (Numbers 33:26)

This economy of words mirrors the transient nature of life between Egypt and the Promised Land—Israel never tarried long enough in any one place to make it home.

Theological Themes

1. Pilgrimage and Progress. Makkeheloth stands as a mile-marker on a pilgrimage that depended entirely on God’s timing (“At the LORD’s command they camped, and at the LORD’s command they set out,” Numbers 9:23).
2. Corporate Identity. The probable sense of the name (“assemblies”) points beyond geography to vocation: Israel was called to be God’s gathered people, a holy convocation in the desert (Exodus 19:4-6). Makkeheloth thus foreshadows the congregational life of the covenant community, later fulfilled in the ekklesia of Jesus Christ (Matthew 16:18; Acts 2:42-47).
3. Memory and Testimony. The travel list in Numbers 33 served future generations as a mnemonic creed, reinforcing confidence in the Lord who guides every step. Makkeheloth’s inclusion declares that no stage of the journey is insignificant to God.

Historical and Ministry Significance

• Instruction in Perseverance: Pastors and teachers often draw on the wilderness itinerary to illustrate perseverance in discipleship. Makkeheloth represents one of the many “ordinary” days of obedience that cumulatively lead to the promised inheritance (Hebrews 10:36).
• Liturgical Echoes: Jewish tradition reads Numbers 33 during the annual recounting of the Exodus, reminding worshipers that each camping place, including Makkeheloth, testifies to God’s sustaining hand.
• Missional Implications: The imagery of God assembling His people in a desert camp invites contemporary believers to view church gatherings not merely as weekly meetings but as strategic encampments where God shapes and equips His people for onward mission (Ephesians 4:11-16).

Archaeological Considerations

While no definitive site has been excavated, several proposals link Makkeheloth with areas offering water sources such as springs or seasonal streams. Survey data from central Sinai valleys (e.g., Wadi el-Makhla, Wadi Nasb) reveal remains of Bronze Age encampments and mining activity, suggesting transient populations consistent with Israel’s itinerary. Ongoing research may yet relate these findings to the biblical station.

Practical Reflections

• God records the steps we might overlook. Even brief, unnamed seasons of life—our own “Makkeheloth”—are preserved in His divine ledger (Psalm 56:8).
• Because the Lord leads both the starting and stopping (Numbers 9:17-23), believers can cultivate contentment whether they are moving forward or waiting in an interim place.
• The assembly motif urges churches to prioritize unity and purposeful gathering, echoing the desert convocation that moved as one under the cloud (1 Corinthians 14:26; Hebrews 10:24-25).

Key References

Numbers 33:25-26; Exodus 19:4-6; Deuteronomy 8:2-5; Hebrews 3:7-19; 1 Peter 2:9-11

Forms and Transliterations

בְּמַקְהֵלֹֽת׃ במקהלת׃ מִמַּקְהֵלֹ֑ת ממקהלת bə·maq·hê·lōṯ bemakheLot bəmaqhêlōṯ mim·maq·hê·lōṯ mimakheLot mimmaqhêlōṯ

Englishman's Concordance

Numbers 33:25
HEB: מֵחֲרָדָ֑ה וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּ בְּמַקְהֵלֹֽת׃
NAS: from Haradah and camped at Makheloth.
KJV: and pitched in Makheloth.
INT: Haradah and camped Makheloth

Numbers 33:26
HEB: וַיִּסְע֖וּ מִמַּקְהֵלֹ֑ת וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּ בְּתָֽחַת׃
NAS: They journeyed from Makheloth and camped
KJV: And they removed from Makheloth, and encamped
INT: journeyed Makheloth and camped Tahath

2 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 4722
2 Occurrences

bə·maq·hê·lōṯ — 1 Occ.
mim·maq·hê·lōṯ — 1 Occ.